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[JISTORY of the Twelfth 
West Virginia Volunteer 
Infantry ®y WILLIAM HEWITT 



Hi^ 






€| The Part It 

Took m the 

War of the 

Rebellion 

1861-1865 



«P5§ 




Published by the Twelfth West Virginia 
Infantry Association 





3W^ '^^N. 



I 








Wm. Hewitt 

L860 



Wm. Hewitt, fihst m . i , 

1868 





Wm. B. Guktis, o 



<ILf )\'EI. 



HISTORY 



OF THE 



Twelfth West Vir- 
ginia Volunteer 
Infantry 



The Part It Took in the 
War of the Rebellion 

1861-1865 

(By 
WILLIAM HEWITT 



Published by the Twelfth West Virginia 
Infantry Association 




,tiw 






-tbtfX* 



"yO the Surviving Comrades and the 

Families of the Fallen of the 

Old Twelfth this work 

is Respectfully 

Dedicated 







r 



PREFACE 



Comrades: 

You conferred upon me at our reunion, held at New 
Cumberland, in 1889, the honor of selecting me to compile 
a history of the Twelfth. The matter was taken into 
consideration afterward by me, and owing in part to the 
magnitude, burden and difficulty of the proposed task, my 
inexperience in this kind of undertaking, and because I 
believed that there were other survivors of the regiment 
much better qualified to write the history, it was concluded 
to forego the undertaking. But at our next reunion, be- 
cause Col. Curtis was disappointed that nothing had been 
done in the matter of the history, and was anxious that it 
be written, and for the reason that the comrades present 
again expressed a desire that I should undertake the work, 
I promised to attempt it and do the best I could. Labor- 
ing under the unavoidable difficulties that it has been 
thirty years since the old Twelfth was making its history 
in the field, the almost total lack of official records pertain- 
ing exclusively to the regiment, and the uncertainty of 
memory at this late day, I have tried with reasonable 
fidelity to fulfill my promise. In reason more should not 
be expected. 

If you, the survivors of the Twelfth, be pleased with 
the history, this fact will be a sufficient reward for my 
labors; but, on the other hand, if it shall not come up to 
your expectations, you should be charitable to its faults 
and short comings, remembering that however great its 
imperfections you, yourselves, are largely responsible, for 
the task was not one of my own seeking, but was rather 
thrust upon me. 

The plan aimed at in writing the history is to not go 
outside of our own organization in what is related, ex- 



cept to give a brief account of the operations of the vari- 
ous armies' to which we belonged, and to intersperse the 
work with incidents, anecdotes, and matters mainly per- 
sonal to the members of the regiment. 

Whatever possible merit may be found in the history 
is largely due to the assistance of comrades in furnishing 
valueable data. Some of them were quite liberal in their 
contributions. And where there is failure to make men- 
tion of incidents worthy of record, or of daring deeds of 
individuals or detachments, it is because they were not 
known, or are not remembered by the compiler. Reasona- 
ble effort was made to get all such details. A card was 
inserted in various newspapers, and letters were written 
to different comrades asking that they be furnished. If 
comrades shall fail to find, as no doubt they shall, a record 
herein of certain incidents worthy of mention, they will 
be forbearing toward the historian when they consider 
that there is a number of such matters herein given that 
they did not know of or have forgotten. 

The comrades will all feel like thanking Mrs. McCaff- 
rey, formerly Mrs. Bengough, wife of the late Lieut. 
Bengough of the Twelfth, for the vivid and stirring story 
of the capture, detention and final release of herself and 
sister-in-law as prisoners by the Rebels, kindly furnished 
for this history. 

Surviving Comrades, this attempted record of the his- 
tory of the old Twelfth is now submitted to your charita- 
ble consideration, and may your days be long, peaceful, 
pleasant and prosperous. 

WILLIAM HEWITT. 

June 20th, 1892. 



INDEX 



CHAPTER I. 

The Circumstances Under Which the Twelfth Was Or- 
ganized — The Character of the Men Composing it — The 
Organization. 

CHAPTER II. 

March to Clarksburg — Marches and Operations in 
West Virginia in the Fall of '62 — Incidents. 

CHAPTER III. 

The Movement into the Shenandoah Valley — Stationed 
at Winchester Under Gen. Milroy — Moved to Berry ville 
— The Capture of Capt. Lapole — Joke on Sergt. Porter — 
From Berryville to Clarksburg — The March Through 
Charlestown. 

CHAPTER IV. 

The Battle of Winchester— The Retreat— The North 
Mountain Girl — Halted at Bloody Run, Pa. — Marched 
to Bedford — Left Bedford for Loudon — Milroy's Men 
Capture One of Lee's Trains and Many Prisoners — 
Marched to Hagerstown — Anecdotes — Marched to 
Sharpsburg — Thence to Martinsburg. 

CHAPTER V. 

Col. Klunk's Resignation Accepted — Troops Pass from 
the Army of the Potomac to Grant — An Incident about 
Van and Tom — Capt. Bristor's Capture of Spy — Capt. 
Moffatt's Capture of Gilmore's Men — Lieut. Blaney's Ob- 
servation — An Incident Concerning Adjt. Caldwell — Mrs. 
Bengough a Prisoner — Her Story. 



CHAPTER VI. 

An Attack Expected — March to Maryland Heights — 
Incidents — Brigaded with the Thirty-fourth Mass. — A 
Move up the Valley — Incidents — The Return — Incidents 
— Followed by Early-Threatened Attack at Harper's 
Ferry — Moved to Cumberland, Md. — Comrade Haney's 
Story — Gens. Kelly and Crook Captured. 

CHAPTER VII. 

Under Gen. Sigel — March to Beverly, via Webster — 
March back to Webster — The Story of the Camp on the 
Rebel Farm — The March up the Valley — Two of Com- 
pany C Captured — The Battle of New Market — Gen. 
Sigel's Letter — Corpl. De Bee's Scout — An Incident — 
Comrades Miller and W. C. Mahan as Prisoners — Their 
Stories. 

CHAPTER VIII. 

Sigel Relieved — Hunter in Command — The Lynch- 
burg Campaign — The Battle of Piedmont — List of Killed 
and Wounded — Marched to Lynchburg — Anecdote — 
The Battle — The Retreat to the Kanawha — Hunter's 
Loss of Artillery on Way — The Men Hard rPessed for 
Food. 

CHAPTER IX. 

Back in the Valley — Threatening Eearly on His Re- 
treat from Washington — Battle of Snicker's Ferry — 
Marched to Winchester — Battle of Kearnstown — Our 
Retreat via. Martinsburg and Sharpsburg to Halltown — 
An Incident — R. W. Mahan's Prison Trials — A Large 
Army Concentrates at Halltown — The Wild-goose Chase 
Into Maryland. 

CHAPTER X. 

Sheridan in Command — The Move up the Valley — The 
Twelfth Charges Rebel Skirmishers — Sheridan Retreats 
to Halltown — Early Demonstrates Against Him — Early 
Withdraws — Sheridan Moves* to Charlestown — The 
Fight at Berryville — Grant's Visit to Sheridan — The 



Battle of the Opeguon — Anecdote of Sheridan — Battle of 
Fisher's Hill — Pursuit of the Enemy up the Valley — 
Destruction by Sheridan — He Falls Back to Strasburg — 
Battle of Tom's Brook — Our Brigade Starts for Martins- 
burg — Mosby Attacks an Ambulance Guard — The 
Twelfth Starts for the Front — Early Shells Thoburn's 
Camp— The Battle of Cedar Creek— The Twelfth on the 
Way to the Front — Sheridan on His Ride — Col. Thoburn 
Killed— Capt. Phil Bier Killed— The Twelfth Marches to 
Cedar Creek — Thence to Newtown. 

CHAPTER XI. 

The Army Moves Back to Kearnstown — Early Fillows 
Far as Middletown — Sheridan's Cavalry Drives the Rebel 
Cavalry — Early Returns to New Market — Anecdotes — 
The Twelfth Moves to Stephenson's Depot — Salutes for 
Gen. Thomas's Victories — The Twelfth Sent to the Army 
of the James — Put into the Twenty-fourth Corps — The 
Opposing Pickets — Lieut. Co. Northcott's Resignation — 
The Sinking of Rebel Gun Boats — Rebel Deserters — The 
Peace Commission — Grant Reviews Our Corps — Gen. 
Turner Commands the Division — It Moves to Aid Sher- 
idan — Asst. Surg. Neil's Lecture. 

CHAPTER XII. 

Part of Our Army Crosses the James — The Second 
Division at Hatcher's Run — The Capture of Fort Gregg 
— The Enemy Evacuates Richmond and Petersburg — The 
Pursuit — The March to Cut off Lee's Retreat — An Inci- 
dent — The Second Division and One Other Were the In- 
fantry Forces Cutting off the Retreat — The Surrender — 
Both Armies Cheer — Lieut. McCord — The Col. and Cit- 
izen McLean Talk — An Incident — Marched to Lynch- 
burg and Back — Thence to Richmond — Some of the Boys 
Presented with Medals — Mustered Out — Sent Home — 
Memorial — Conclusion. 



CHAPTER I. 

(1) The great War of the Rebellion had gone on for 
more than a year, and had assumed proportions of a grand 
scale, dwarfing any other ever fought on this continent, 
so far as there is any history; in fact, making all other 
wars on this side of the ocean appear, by comparison, to 
be Lilliputian in character ; and so far as the magnitude of 
its theater or geographical extent was concerned, the 
greatest war in the history of the world. 

(2) Previous to our great war it had been supposed 
that modern times had only one man surely — possibly 
others — capable of efficiently handling a hundred thou- 
sand men — Napoleon Bonaparte. But this mighty con- 
flict was developing more than one man fully able to com- 
mand that number of men in action ; and at least one man 
capable of having a general supervision over fully a mil- 
lion of men in the field. We were exhibiting to the world 
new methods of warfare both on land and sea, and show- 
ing it that we had the most effective and intelligent sol- 
diers in the world. 

(3) Several hundred thousand men had been called 
into the field, armed and equipped. Men and money had 
been lavishly expended. There was a willingness on the 
part of the loyal people to spend the last dollar and fur- 
nish the last man, if they could see any evidence of pro- 
gress on the part of our arms, or have any assurance of 
final success in the suppression of the Rebellion. 

(4) The war on the part of the Government, however, 
had been begun with an entirely inadequate idea of the 
magnitude of the undertaking. It is well known that one* 
high in the councils of the nation had predicted before 
hostilities actually began that there would be peace in 
sixty days, and even the good President seemed to think 



Secretary Seward. 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

that all the threatening aspect of affairs would pass away 
if a little time were allowed for the passions of the people 
to cool. There seemed to be a want of comprehension on 
the part of the loyal people generally, and not less so on 
the part of those holding the reins of government, of the 
terrible earnestness and deadly determination of those who 
had taken up arms to disrupt the Government. 

(5) Hence the first call for troops to cope with what 
was to prove to be the most determined and formidable 
rebellion recorded in history, was for only seventy-five 
thousand men, and what was worse, for only the short 
terms of three months, as though the suppression of the 
Rebellion was comparatively a trivial affair. 

(6) There was some reason, however, aside from the 
supposed sufficiency of the first call for troops, for not 
calling out a greater force, namely, the lack of arms and 
other munitions of war ; but this excuse could not be of- 
fered for the deplorable blunder, which all now can see, 
of making the term of the first enlistment only three 
months, many regiments' time expiring when they were 
sorely needed. 

(7) In the outset of hostilities and actual conflict of 
arms, there was a remarkable lack of earnestness and the 
customary severity, which is generally supposed to char- 
acterize grim-visaged war, shown by some of our generals 
in the field. In some instances the first prisoners were 
merely sworn to not take up arms again against the Gov- 
ernment and then let go — "a process," says Greely in his 
American Conflict, "about as imposing and significant, in 
their view, as the taking of a glass of cider." This treat- 
ment of prisoners soon became a by-word and jeering jest 
among the soldiers. It is related that during the Three 
Months' service, when a comrade had captured a snake 
and was holding it up by the tail, a fellow soldier called 
out to him to swear him and let him go. 

(8) There was greate tenderness, too, in the begin- 



WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY 

ning of the war, shown by professed friends of the Union, 
for the people of those States which assumed to be out of 
the Union ; and for the people of the States which were 
nominally within the Union, yet whose loyalty was of an 
exceedingly questionable kind, as was manifested by their 
objecting to the soldiers of our country marching under 
our common flag, setting foot upon their soil. It was 
alleged by these professed friends that, by treating the 
Rebels with severity, the people of the seceded States 
would be so exasperated thereby that all hope of restoring 
the Union would be forever destroyed. Just as though 
they were not already inflamed to the highest pitch, and 
enraged to the last degree, when a timid, halting policy 
of being afraid of hurting them, was only bringing the 
Government into disrespect, encouraging the enemy, and 
making more Rebels every day ; and when a decided, vig- 
orous course toward the traitors was needed to sharply 
draw the line between the enemies and friends of the Gov- 
ernment. 

(9) There was also a halting, half-hearted policy 
shown in the disposition and handling of the eastern army 
— a dissipation of its strength which resulted in bringing 
only little more, if any force, on the Union side, than 
about one-half of the available strength in the first battle 
of Bull Run, fought July 21st, 1861, and resulting in a 
humiliating defeat, which defeat had the effect of stimu- 
lating and vitalizing the Rebellion into tremendous vigor, 
and giving it high hope and great energy. 

(10) This defeat at the time was universally regarded 
as a great calamity, though it is now seen, in view of the 
fact that it necessitated the prolonging of the war, thereby 
compelling more extreme and radical measures for the 
suppression of the Rebellion, and consequently making a 
more substantial and durable peace, that that reverse to 
our arms was a blessing in disguise. 

(11) It was followed by the calling out of five hundred 

3 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

thousand more troops, and the next spring, by General 
McClellan's dilatory, sluggish and worse than abortive 
attempt to take Richmond with the Grand Army of the 
Potomac. And this failure of this magnificent army 
tended to still further encourage the Rebellion. At the 
end of that campaign the Rebels were as full of the spirit 
of determination and as sanguine as ever. And although 
some substantial progress had been made by our arms in 
the Southwest, yet the results of the war so far were not 
satisfactory, nor at all equal to the great expenditure of 
men and money. 

(12) Under this condition of affairs, and in this 
exigency, "Father Abraham" called on Jusly 1st, 1862, 
not for "three hundred thousand more," but for six hun- 
dred thousand additional soldiers. And it was in response 
to this call for more defenders of the Union that the 
Twelfth West Virginia enlisted and was mustered into 
service along with the other reinforcements, to do what it 
might to keep the Old Flag aloft, and "that government 
of the people, by the people, and for the people might not 
perish from the earth." 

(13) The Twelfth was made up of exceptionally good 
material. The men were mainly American born and na- 
tive Virginians. They were a hardy, robust, vigorous, 
self-reliant class of men, mainly from the farming dis- 
tricts, of more than average size, rnany of them mountain- 
eers. They enlisted under trying and embarassing cir- 
cumstances, and in great measure from patriotic impluses, 
their surroundings and circumstances in many cases tend- 
ing to lead them to join their fortunes with the Rebel 
cause. It was a common thing for a West Virginia 
Union soldier to have friends and relatives in the Rebel 
army, and in some cases for brother to fight against 
brother. 

(14) One of our faithful and efficient surgeons, of the 
Twelfth, F. H. Patton, now having the important and 



WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY 

responsible position of being in charge of the Soldiers' 
Home at Dayton, Ohio, at a reunion at Wheeling in 1886 
paid the boys of the Twelfth the compliment of relating 
that he was sometimes asked why it was that there were 
so few West Virginia soldiers found in the Soldiers' 
Home at Dayton, and said that he replied to that question, 
that the boys of West Virginia were a self-reliant class 
of men, used to and feeling themselves fully capable of 
looking after and taking care of themselves during the 
war, and that he thought the same trait, characterizing 
them yet, of looking out for themselves, accounted for so 
few West Virginia soldiers being found in soldiers' 
homes. 

(15) Another incident will further illustrate the char- 
acter of the men of this regiment. During the winter of 
1864-5, the Tenth, Eleventh, Twelfth and Fifteenth West 
Virginia regiments, along with some other regiments, 
were sent from the Valley of Virginia to the Army of the 
James, and organized into a small division, General T. 
M. Harris, commander. This division was afterward 
known as the Independent Division. It so happened that 
members of some of the regiments of the corps to which 
our division was assigned were so inclined to desert to 
the enemy when on the picket line, that it was not con- 
sidered safe to put those regiments on picket. Shortly 
after arrival, General Harris was asked by his command- 
ing officer if he would be responsible for his men's desert- 
ing from the picket line. Harris replied that he would 
guarantee that not a man of his would desert. His con- 
fidence was not misplaced. The men were put on picket 
and not a man of the Twelfth deserted. The same is true, 
it is believed, of the other regiments of Harris's com- 
mand. Of course the Twelfth, like other regiments, had 
its deserters ; but that class was long since weeded out, 
and those left, the men in general, were determined to 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

stand by the old flag to the end of their enlistment. They 
would rather die than desert. 

(16) The Regiment was made up from the counties 
named bellow, as follows : Cos. A, B and €, in Marshall ; 
Co. D, in Ohio County; Cos. E and G, in Harrison; Co. 
F, in Marion ; Co. H, in Taylor ; Co. I, in Hancock, and 
Co. K, in. Brooke County. 

(17) The Twelfth West Virginia Volunteer Infantry 
was mustered into the United States Service August 
30th, 1862, at Camp Willey on Wheeling Island, and 
the organization completed as follows : 

FIELD AND STAFF. 

(Mustered in August 30th.) 

Colonel — John B. Klunk Grafton 

Lieut. Colonel — R. S. Northcott Clarksburg 

Major — F. P. PieRpont Harrisville 

Adjutant — Geo. B. Caldwell Wheeling 

Quartermaster — N. U. ThurbER Moundsville 

Surgeon — John Frizzell Wheeling 

A L (Dwight RugglES. .. .Moundsville 

Assst. Surgeons . . < _ ^ 

^S. P. Bryan Limestone 

Chaplain — Thomas H. Trainer Moundsville 

NON-COMMISSIONED STAFF. 

Sergeant Major — J as. W. Dunnington Fairmont 

0. M. Sergeant — David B. Fleming Independence 

Com. Sergeant — Wm. A. Scott Fairview 

Hospital Steward — Charles H. Odbert Wheeling 

Principal Musician — George Hammond Grafton 

COMPANY A. 
(Mustered in August 16th.) 

Captain — HagEr Tomlinson Moundsville 

First Lieut. — T. S. Magruder-. Moundsville 

Second Lieut. — William BurlEy Moundsville 

Five Sergeants, eight Corporals. 



WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY 

COMPANY B. 

(Mustered in August 20th.) 

Captain — Martin P. Bonar Rosby's Rock 

First Lieut — Nathan S. Fish Rosby's Rock 

Second Lieut. — John C. Roberts Moundsville 

Five Sergeants, eight Corporals. 

COMPANY C. 

(Mustered in August 23rd.) 

Captain — Erastus G. BartlETT Rosby's Rock 

First Lieut. — Wm. L. Roberts Moundsville 

Second Lieut — John B. Lydick Rosby's Rock 

Five Sergeants, eight Corporals. 

COMPANY D. 
(Mustered in August 25th.) 

Captain — W. B. Curtis West Liberty 

First Lieut. — Wm. A. Smiley West Liberty 

Second Lieut. — David M. BLANEY..West Alexander, Pa. 
Five Sergeants, eight Corporals. 

COMPANY E. 

(Mustered in August 26th.) 

Captain — Cornelius Mercer Clarksburg 

First Lieut. — Oscar H. Tate Clarksburg 

Second Lieut. — Jas. R. Durham Clarksburg 

Five Sergeants, eight Corporals. 

COMPANY F. 
(Mustered in August 20th.) 

Captain — Amos H. Prichard Mannington 

First Lieut. — Thos. A. Fleming Fairmont 

Second Lieut. — Thos. H. Haymond Fairmont 

Five Sergeants, eight Corporals. 

- COMPANY G. 
(Mustered in August 27th.) 
Ctpain — James W. Moffatt Shinnston 

• 
7 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

First Lieut. — Van B. Hall. Shinnston 

Second Lieut. — Elam F. Pigott Shinnston 

Five Sergeants, eight Corporals. 

COMPANY H. 
(Mustered in August 27th.) 

Captain — J. H. Bristor Grafton 

First Lieut. — David Powell Flemington 

Second Lieut. — Thomas H. Means Grafton 

Five Sergeants, eight Corporals. 

COMPANY I. 

Captain — R. H. Brown Fairview 

First Lieut. — John H. Melvin Fairview 

Second Lieut. — Thos. W. Bradley. . .New Cumberland 
Five Sergeants, eight Corporals. 

COMPANY K. 
(Mustered in August 30th.) 

Captain — Thomas White Wellsburg 

First Lieut. — John B. Jester Wellsburg 

Second Lieut. — J. R. BrennEman Wellsburg 

Five Sergeants, eight Corporals. 



CHAPTER II. 

(18) The Regiment did not remain long in Camp 
Willey. On the day after its completed organization it 
was ordered to Clarksburg, W. Va., which place was 
then threatened by a force under the Rebel General, Jen- 
kins, who was then on a raid through West Virginia. 
Clarksburg is an old town, the county seat of Harrison 
County, situated on the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, and 
distant by rail 122 miles from Wheeling. Clarksburg 
will be remembered by the great abundance, in its vicinity, 
of blackberries during the early fall of that year. They 
were so plentiful that there seemed to be enough for the 
Twelfth and the citizens of the town, too. 

(19) The regiment arrived by rail at Clarksburg Sep- 
tember 2nd, and on that day a detachment of four com- 
panies under command of Lieut. Col. R. S. Northcott 
was ordered to Beverly, the county seat of Randolph 
County, lying in a southeast direction, and distant from 
Clarksburg 60 miles. The detachment arrived at Beverly 
September 5th. This place is a small town situated on 
the Tygarts Valley branch of the Monongahela River, at 
the western base of Cheat Mountain. 

(20) The remaining six companies under command of 
Col. John B. Klunk were ordered September 4th to 
Buckhannon, W. Va., the county seat of Upshur County, 
distant 28 miles. Buckhannon is pleasantly situated in 
apparently a good country. 

(21) The detachment under command of Col. North- 
cott marched from Beverly September 13th for Webster, 
Taylor County, distant 42 miles, arriving at the latter 
place the 15th. On this march the detachment was fol- 
lowed by slaves, some half dozen, who were striking for 
freedom, saying that they had run away because their 
master had threatened to sell them. They seemed to 
attach themselves to Capt. Brown's Company (I), and 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

appeared inclined to remain with it during the stay at 
Webster. One or two of these slaves were nearly white, 
and some of the boys inclining to talk to and hang around 
them, Capt. Brown concluded to get rid of them ; so in a 
few days two of the boys going to Grafton, a few miles 
distant, he sent them with the boys. 

(22) When the boys got to Grafton, a train of Ohio 
soldiers was about to start for Wheeling. One of the 
boys informed the colonel of the presence of the slaves 
and their story, and asked him if he would take them 
aboard of the train. He refused peremptorily. It looked 
blue for getting them off in that way. However, the 
Twelfth boys in passing to rear of the train — a long 
freight — caught sight of, as it appeared, some of the 
non-commissioned staff in the rear car. They were told 
what was wanted. One of them having an eye to the 
main chance, wanted to know how much money would 
be given to take the "darks" on bdard. In a few moments 
some money was paid, the Twelfth boys contributing in 
part, and quickly and slyly the fugitives were hustled 
aboard; and a little later the train was off. They were 
never heard of afterward. It is to be hoped, however, 
that the sweets of freedom were not a disappointment to 
them. 

(23) The detachment left Webster on the 22nd and 
marched to Clarksburg, distant 18 miles, arriving there 
the same day. It remained at this place until October 1st, 
when it marched to Buckhannon, rejoining the other 
companies there. There was considerable rejoicing when 
the boys all got together again. In fact, the detachment 
met on its arrival with quite an ovation, the band coming 
out to greet it with stirring martial airs. 

(24) The regiment remained at Buckhannon, doing 
guard and picket duty, and drilling until the 19th. It 
was at this place that a drill-master appeared, and he put 
the regiment through quite a course of drilling, having 
it out every day practicing, while he staid. Among the 

10 



WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY 

other exercises, he practiced the regiment considerably 
on forming a correct equipment. He would place the 
Sergeants, two from each company, in a line, say ten steps 
in advance of the regiment; the Colonel or the Major 
would then march the men forward to the line of the 
Sergeants; and when a particularly good alignment was 
made in this way, the drill-master was in the habit of 
remarking, to the amusement of the boys, "I say, Col- 
onel," or "I say, Major, that is a capital line." 

(25) It is remembered that more than half of the com- 
panies, while having company drill at this time and place, 
would, on moving by different flanks on the march, in 
marching to the rear, have the order of the men reversed, 
so that No. 1 was on the place of No. 2, and vice versa. 
Butrtt was never observed that this circumstance in any 
way interfered with the efficiency with which the boys 
afterward moved upon the enemy, or in case of an emerg- 
ency, with the celerity with which they could "limber to 
the rear," as one boy expressed it. A little story, as 
"Father Abraham" would have said, relating to a later 
period of the war, will perhaps be not impertinent in this 
place. 

(26) We were in the Valley under Gen. Sheridan. 
The Twelfth and Fourth West Virginia Infantry, under 
command of Lieut. Col. Northcott, had been to Martins- 
burg, and was returning to the camp at Cedar Creek, ort 
a four-days' round trip. The Battle of Cedar Creek was 
fought while we were on the return. It is a matter of 
history that the Army of West Virginia, or the Eighth 
Corps, was surprised in that battle. It was attacked be- 
fore daylight, its works carried, and it put to rout almost 
before it knew it. The men not captured "fled to the rear, 
as the only thing they could do." In order to the better 
appreciation of the story, it may be well to say that Gen. 
Sheridan had employed this corps, doubtless on account 
of its celerity of movement, to flank the enemy at both 
the Battle of Opequon and the Battle of Fisher's Hill. 

11 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

The Twelfth and Fourth reached the camp at Cedar 
Creek with a supply train on the forenoon after the bat- 
tle. It should have been said that these two regiments 
belonged to the Eighth Corps. Just as they were getting 
into camp, while passing some of the Sixth Corps, one 
of the latter yelled out, seemingly in allusion to the for- 
mers flanking movements, and its rout at Cedar Creek, 

"There goes some of that d d Eighth Corps. They 

are always running one way or the other!" 

(27) On the 19th six companies under command of 
Col. Klunk marched to Beverly, and November 1st they 
were rejoined there by the other four companies. At 
this period of our service we had Sibley tents, which 
were circular in form, having a center pole, and a hole 
at the top of the center of the tent. They were capable 
of holding about sixteen men. We had tin-plates, tin- 
cups, knives and forks, one of each for each soldier, and 
a camp-kettle for, say each mess of ten or fifteen men. 
We had also a mess-box, in which to pack the plates, etc., 
for transportation. When in camp during pleasant 
weather the boys would eat in the open air on tables 
erected for that purpose. In fact, there was considerable 
style put on in the outset of the regiment's service. It 
took time to pack mess-boxes, strike tents and get ready 
to march. It took six wagons to carry the camp equip- 
age. A large army having a proportionate number of 
wagons would have had enough to seriously embarass it, 
and it might be, to whip it, in an engagement. Later in 
the war, the last year or more, the camp equipage for the 
men was reduced to a piece of shelter-tent and a tin-cup. 
This was a deprivation, but it had its advantages, for 
the men did not have to wait on the wagons, as they had 
to do sometimes when the camp equipage was hauled; 
but they could pitch their tents and make their coffee 
whenever and wherever they stopped, for they carried 
their tents and tin-cups in which to make their coffee. 

(28) At the time of this second march to Beverly, the 

12 



WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY 

regiment was pretty nearly full, not having been reduced 
by sickness or otherwise, there being not far from 800 
men present for duty, and it made rather a formidable 
showing on the route. The imperssion that it made at 
that time upon a private soldier, as to its formidableness, 
may be here spoken of. "I used to think," said he later 
in the war, when he had had more experience, "that when 
I would take a survey of our regiment on the march, 
from some point on the route, we were not likely to meet 
any enemy that could withstand us." This shows that he, 
like thousands of others, who were under a mistake in a 
less degree as to the magnitude of the Rebellion, had a 
ridiculously inadequate idea of the numerical strength of 
the enemy, or of the vastness of the force necessary to 
overcome it, there being, if not just then, not long after- 
ward, the equal of more than a thousand such regiments 
required to achieve that purpose. 

(29) On our way to Beverly we passed over the bat- 
tlefield of Rich Mountain, the first view we had of the 
sad havoc of war. Quite a number of Union and Rebel 
dead were buried here at the side of the road. It was 
said that when our forces drove the enemy from this 
position they found a trench dug at the side of the road 
over which this inscription was placed: "TO HOLD 
DEAD YANKEES." But the trench was utilized by 
filling it with dead Johnnys, about sixty of whom were 
buried here. A few of our men belonging to Ohio and 
Indiana regiments were buried in the corner of a garden 
nearby. The surrounding trees gave evidence of the 
struggle at this place. 

(30) The regiment as a whole remained at Beverly 
only a few days. The stay at this place of the six com- 
panies first there was over two weeks. The Eighty-sev- 
enth Pennsylvania Infantry and the Ninth West Virginia 
Infantry were there with us at the same time. The 
Eighty-seventh and the Twelfth were camped near to- 
gether, a short distance north of of the town on the bank 

13 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

of the Tygart's Valley River. Col. Hay of the Eighty- 
seventh was a very pleasant man, and a good tactician; 
and while we were here used to drill the Twelfth ; and a 
friendship sprang up between his boys and ours that was 
strengthened and never lost by after association in the 
same brigade or division. 

(31) While we were at this town an unfortunate oc- 
currence took place. A detail of the Ninth West Vir- 
ginia was on guard in the town with orders to not allow 
any soldiers enter it without a pass. Some of the Eighty- 
seventh boys undertook to force past the guards, when 
one of the former was shot, it is not remembered whether 
fatally or not. When the news of the shooting came to 
camp there was a great commotion, like that of a dis- 
turbed hive of bees, in the camp of the Eighty-seventh. 
The boys went rushing to their tents, many of them 
from the river where they were washing clothes, to get 
their guns to avenge the shooting of their comrade. The 
aspect of things looked quite threatening for awhile. 
Finally, however, the officers of the regiment managed to 
quiet the men down, and further trouble was prevented. 

(32) Sergeant Thomas J. Orr of Company D thus re- 
lates a couple of incidents of our stay at Beverly : 

(33) Provisions being a little short, our larders were 
sometimes replenished from surrounding flocks and 
herds. An effort in this direction came near being at- 
tended with serious consequences. Jake McCormick of 
Company K concluded that bull-beef was a great deal 
better than no beef ; so he and a chosen comrade or two 
walked deliberately down to the river, where a herd of 
cattle was quietly grazing, and selecting the patriarch of 
the herd, proceeded to extreme measures by shooting him 
to death, after which they dispossessed him of his hide, 
quartered and divided him among their hungry chums. 
Shortly an order was issued for Jake's arrest, but as the 
whole regiment - was particcps criminis, the authorities 



14 



WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY 

concluded that it was too big a contract, and Jake es- 
caped punishment, and went his way rejoicing. 

(34) On another occasion a fine flock of sheep was re- 
ported a mile or two down the river. A squad from Com- 
pany D concluded to sample the mutton of that part of 
the country. Selecting a fine moonlight night, and led on 
by Tegard and King, who located the flock, they soon 
arrived at the objective point. But here a difficulty arose 
that they had not anticipated. How would they get the 
sheep captured? For they were wild as deer. After 
thinking the matter over and discarding many proposed 
plans, King, who stuttered, said : "B-b-b-boys, I have it. 
Tegard and I will go down to the lower end of the field, 
make a gap in the fence, and the rest of you drive the 
sheep through. Tegard and I will lie down just inside the 
gap and catch our sheep as they go through." This being 
a feasible plan, the boys proceeded to carry it into execu- 
tion. Tegard and King laid down the fence and laid 
themselves down just inside, to await coming events, or 
rather the coming of the sheep. They had not long to 
wait; the sheep, frightened by the other boys, made a 
drive for the gap in the fence, the largest and strongest, 
of course in the van. Now here was where the fun com- 
menced. King was greedy and concluded that one would 
not be quite enough for him ; so he grabbed two of the 
first that came through by the legs. Being large and 
strong, they dragged him a short distance from the fence, 
where the rest of the flock would light on him as they 
jumped through the gap. King held on to the mutton, 
but he was a sorry looking King when he got straightened 
up. And an inventory being taken of him, it stood some- 
thing like this : 

G. W. King+two sheep. 

G. W. King+two black eyes. 

G. W. King-f countenance demoralized generally. 

G. W. King — cap, coat and half his pants. 

(35) After dressing three sheep the boys returned to 

15 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

camp in safety. But it was fun to hear King tell the boys 
the next day in his stuttering way how he got his black 
eyes. 

(36) If there was anything a soldier would stake his 
all on, it was on something good to eat ; and this further 
remark is ventured while on this subject : that there were 
members of the regiment who contented themselves with 
Government rations, but if any article of food was placed 
before them not found in "Uncle Sam's" bill of fare, they 
ate what was put before them , asking no questions for 
conscience's sake. 

(37) The circumstance of the killing of the bull is 
well remembered, and it is not forgotten that the officers 
of the Twelfth, accompanied by the owner of the bull, 
went through the camp pretending to search the tents for 
that bull-beef, all the while trying to assume a serious 
face; but at the same time betraying in their countenances 
a manifest consciousness that the whole proceeding was 
a glaring farce. They did not want very much to find 
any part of the remains of the defunct bull. In fact, the 
whole performance gave the impression that it was a vig- 
orous attempt at "how not to do it" and that the under- 
taking was succeeding admirably. 

(38) Our stay at Beverly now came to a close. On 
November 5th three companies, F, D and I, with a de- 
tachment of the Ringold Cavalry, a battalion of Pennsyl- 
vania troops under command of Major Pierpoint of the 
Twelfth, were ordered on a scout through Pocahontas 
and Bath Counties, by way of Elkwater and Huntersville, 
to Monterey, the county seat of Highland County, W. 
Va., where they joined the other companies of the regi- 
ment, they, the latter, having started from Beverly one 
day late, and marched a different route, through Poca- 
hontas and Pendleton Counties, under command of Col. 
Klunk ,arriving at Monterey on the 9th. 

(39) As there is no data at hand regarding events 
or incidents in connection with the seven companies, on 

16 



WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY 

this expedition to Monterey, the account given will relate 
exclusively to the three companies under command of 
Major Pierpoint. 

(40) On this scout the detachments of the three com- 
panies and the small cavalry force, traversed a section of 
country where Yankees had not been seen before. The 
opportunities for foraging here were good, and the boys 
improved them. One day an incident occurred that gave 
an intimation of the licentiousness and hardships of war. 
A citizen was met in the road. He wore a fur overcoat 
made of coonskin, and one of the cavalry men made him 
take it off and surrender it to him. The citizen passed on 
minus his overcoat, and in a predicament that should have 
enabled him to realize, in some measure, the beauties of 
secession. 

(41) Camp was made one night at a place called 
Mingo Flats. While here a laughable affair occurred, for 
the relating of which as follows Sergeant Orr is drawn 
upon once more : 

(42) There was not house room for all the command, 
so Company F and part of each of the other two com- 
panies, D and I, went into a meadow where there was a 
bunch of hay stacks. The men took the fence from around 
the stacks, and built square pens four or five rails high, 
leaving the side next the fire open. Then filling the pen 
up with hay they placed rails over the top, and covered 
all with hay, making excellent quarters for ten or a 
dozen boys. 

(43) Capt. Prichard of Company F, and Lieut. Melvin 
of Company I, were both with this squad. The former 
was very much opposed to foraging; while the latter 
didn't care whether school kept or. not, so they didn't 
bother him too much, and he got enough to eat. There 
was also in this squad a character of Company I we 
called "Nosey." Now it happened that there was a drove 
of calves in the meadow. And after we had our quarters 
prepared and fires built, some of the boys were peering 

17 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

around to see if there was anything in view appropriable. 
Among the number was "Nosey," who spied the drove of 
calves. Visions of fresh veal at once began to dance 
through his brain. With "Nosey" to think was to act. 
He made at once for the calves, selected his veal, grabbed 
it by the tail, and then the circus began. The calf was 
large and strong, but "Nosey" had a splendid hold. The 
calf broke for the fires at a 2 :40 gait, "Nosey" keeping on 
his feet as best he could. Capt. Prichard, hearing the 
racket, drew his "cheese-knife," and ran out to intercept 
the culprit, whoever he might be. The first thing he saw 
was "Nosey" and his calf coming at full speed, whom he 
gratted with "Hold on, there! Hold on there!" "Nosey" 
replied : "I will, by ." Just then a member of Com- 
pany D, catching on, snatched an ax and relieved the 
breathless "Nosey" by tapping the calf gently on the head. 
We had veal for supper. 

(44) On the second day out we passed over the Elk- 
water battlefield, where the Rebel Col. John A. Washing- 
ton was killed. At Huntersville we surprised a number 
of Johnnys, who were sleeping off heavy potations of 
apple-jack, and took them along as prisoners, passing, on 
our way, up Knap's Creek Valley in Pocahontas County, 
a section of country of rich farm land, abounding in fine 
cattle and horses. It was a fine and amusing sight to see 
Acting Quarter Master Lieut. Bradley of Company I 
sailing over the broad meadows on horseback, endeavor- 
ing to capture the splendid horses grazing on the luxur- 
iant pastures there. Some of the horses were too fleet to 
be captured, and maintained their freedom. 

(45) The boys fared well on this raid, getting milk, 
honey, apples, etc., in abundance. The apples were buried 
in holes, as is frequently done with potatoes. And it was 
a laughable sight to see the boys fairly tumbling over each 
other, and almost standing on their heads, as they dived 
into the apple holes, trying to not get left in their at- 
tempts at getting a fair share of the apples. 

18 



WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY 

(46) Sergeant Orr has the floor once more for the 
narration of an incident said to have occurred here, for 
the truth of which, however, he does not vouch. He tells 
it thus : 

(47) "Two men of the expedition went into a house to get something to eat. 
It happened that the male folks were all away from home, as was generally the 
case in that section when the Yanks were about, leaving only two single ladies of 
uncertain age in charge of the premises. When our two Yanks made their appear- 
ance, the two ladies became frantic with terror; and holding up their hands exclaim- 
ed, 'Take our money, take everything we have, but do not harm us personally'! 
'You personally be damned,* said the Yanks, 'have you any corn-bread?" That 
soothed them." 

(48) On this raid of the three companies we captured 
GO head of horses and mules, 300 head of cattle, 41 pris- 
oners and a wagon load of fine butter on its way to 
Staunton, Va. The owner of the butter was sent to 
Camp Chase. Where the bulk of the butter went is not 
known, but the boys made use of some of it. 

(49) We arrived at Monterey on the night of the 9th, 
rejoining here the other seven companies, as before stated, 
which had accompanied an expedition under command 
of Gen. R. H. Milroy, to this point. The regiment re- 
mained here but one day, when we started on our return, 
by way of Crab Bottom, resting one day there in the old 
Rebel winter quarters. We resumed our march on the 
morning of the 13th, by way of Franklin, the county seat 
of Pendleton County; thence by way of Circleville and 
Hunting Ground Mountain, back to Tygart's Valley 
River, five miles below Beverly, our starting point. 

(50) A sad accident occurred while crossing the moun- 
tain. A member of the Eighty-seventh Pennsylvania, 
who was along with the expedition, was accidentally shot 
by a comrade. His comrades attempted to carry him, but 
they could not do so, and they were compelled to bury 
him on the lonely mountain, using their bayonets to dig 
his grave. 

(51) Leaving our camp below Beverly, we marched 
to Webster, on the Parkersburg branch of the Baltimore 



19 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

& Ohio Railroad, where we arrived on the 18th, marching 
a distance of 238 miles in fourteen days during the most 
inclement season of the year, fording mountain streams, 
swollen by melting snow and rain, many of the men bare- 
footed, and the roads half knee-deep with mud. It is not 
to be wondered at that many of the men succumbed to this 
severe ordeal, and were candidates for the hospital on our 
arrival at Webster. 

(52) One more incident of this raid will perhaps bear 
relating. Some of the boys took the measles on the 
route. On the return to Beverly a sergeant was sent in 
charge of an ambulance containing four sick boys, some- 
thing in advance of the regiment, and over a different 
route, it is believed, from that taken by it. One evening, 
the second out, perhaps, after ascending and descending 
Cheat Mountain, the driver halted the ambulance just at 
its base on the west side, where there was a hotel. 

(53) Now it happened that Gen. Milroy and his Ad- 
jutant General, Capt. McDonald, if his name is not mis- 
taken, were going to put up at that hotel. The boys be- 
ing quite sick, the Sergeant spoke to the landlord to pro- 
cure beds for them. He seemed reluctant to comply with 
the request, and perhaps, to baffle the Sergeant, he told 
him to see Capt. McDonald about the matter, saying it 
would be just as the Captain said. 

(54) It often is the case that a man holding an inferior 
rank or position assumes an air of more importance, and 
more of "the insolence of office," than do his superiors. 
This Captain was no exception to this rule. In fact, he 
was a specimen of the type of fellows represented by the 
fellow who was "a bigger [sic] man than old Grant." 
So when the Sergeant spoke to him regarding the getting 
of the beds, he put on a forbidding and repellant air and 
said sarcastically that "he was not quarter-master." The 
Sergeant replied with somewhat of offended dignity that 
he would not have come to him at all, only that the land- 
lord had referred him, the Sergeant, to him, the Captain. 

20 



WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY 

(55) Here Gen. Milroy spoke up in a courteous and 
considerate manner, quite in contrast with that of the 
Captain, saying "We do not assume to have the disposi- 
tion of the landlord's beds ; they are entirely at his own 
disposal. As for myself, I can sleep on the floor." The 
Sergeant, being thus left to his own resources, secured 
those beds for the sick boys. 

(56) The regiment left Webster on the 19th, going 
over the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad to New Creek, in 
Hampshire County, West Virginia, distance 89 miles, 
arriving there the same day. There were other troops 
besides the Twelfth. One of the regiments of these was 
the Twenty-third Illinois Infantry, Col. Mulligan's regi- 
ment. This command was made up almost if not entirely 
of men of Irish birth, Mulligan himself being of that 
nationality. He was a fine, tall, erect man, with a military 
air, and a general mien and bearing that would attract 
attention anywhere. For this reason, and because of his 
national reputation, no doubt, and, it may be, the circum- 
stance that he wore a green shirt, he attracted considerable 
attention from our boys. 

(57) As the weather was now pretty cold, and severe 
winter was approaching; and as we had established a 
camp here with regularly-laid-out streets, it looked as 
though we might winter here. But we staid here only 
three weeks. On the 11th of December our regiment 
marched by way of Burlington and Petersburg to Moore- 
field, the county seat of Hardy County. 

(58) On the march to this place Lieut. Col. Northcott, 
stopping at a house on the way between Petersburg and 
Moorefield and getting thus behind the command, was 
taken prisoner by a Rebel scout. One of our scouts, how- 
ever, followed the Rebel and his prisoner, and recaptured 
the Colonel, after, it was said, a severe hand-to-hand 
fight, in which each scout surrendered alternately, the 
Union scout coming out final victor. 



21 



CHAPTER III. 

(59) At Moorefield the Twelfth was assigned to Gen. 
Cluseret's brigade of Milroy's division, and on the 17th 
Gen. Cluseret started on an expedition to Strasburg, Va., 
the Twelfth being part of his command. We marched 
26 miles the first day, camping on Lost River, four miles 
from Wordensville. That night was cold and stormy. 
The wind blew so that it made the soldiers' blankets flap 
as they lay under them trying to get a little sleep, and it 
was so cold that in some cases they had to get up in the 
night to go to the large fires they had made to get warm. 
That night it froze so hard that the creek was frozen so 
as to bear up a horse, but not quite the artillary. There 

. was some difficulty in getting it over the creek. It was to 
this bleak and inhospitable place that the eccentric genius, 
"Barney" Wiles of Company D, alluded when he spoke 
of "the place where fire froze and turkeys chewed to- 
bacco." 

(60) The second day the command marched through 
Wordensville to Capon Springs, 18 miles, encamping 
there for the night in the Mountain House, a magnificent 
building of 410 well finished rooms, situated right in the 
midst of rather a dense forest. Owing to the torturous 
mountain roads we were close to this building before ob- 
serving it. Making a sharp turn in the road, its grand 
proportions flashed upon us suddenly, as if by magic. 

^"he water in these springs is quite warm, and much 
steam was arising from it that cold weather. 

(61) We had good quarters that night, having nice 
mattresses on which to sleep. But we had to get up very 
early in the morning to resume our march to Strasburg. 
Surgeon Bryon of the Twelfth, in a half-jocular and half- 
earnest way, protested against getting up so early, say- 
ing "It's not the ideal thing, and I don't believe in it — this 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

thing of getting up at midnight to stuff victuals and start 
out on a Rebel hunt." 

(62) After "stuffing victuals" we pushed out for 
Strasburg, a distance of 18 miles, where the Rebel Gen. 
Jones was, with a small force, which retired before the 
advanc of Cluseret's brigade, leaving only his rear-guard 
to skirmish with the advance, as it entered the town. 

(63) Gen. Cluseret was a spirited, dashing French- 
man, who afterward figured prominently in belligerent 
affairs in Paris, after its evacuation by the Prussians, in 
the late franco-Prussian War. And it was a picturesque 
sight to see him in his corduroy pantaloons, on nearing 
the town, dashing ahead of the infantry with a very small 
body-guard, while some skirmishing was going on with 
the cavalry. Some prisoners were taken here. 

(64) On nearing Strasburg we got our first sight of 
the far-famed Shenandoah Valley, which had already 
been the scene, so far in the war, of some bloody battles, 
and was destined to be the scene of some far more bloody. 
And at the same time we got our first view of the no less 
famed Blue Ridge. 

(65) We camped at Strasburg that night. This was 
a small town of quite ancient appearance, situated on the 
north bank of the North Branch of the Shenandoah River, 
and at the base of the Massanutten Mountain, lying to 
the south. The next day the command marched six miles 
to Middletown. We remained here untill the 24th. 

(QQ) Our movement from Moorefield had been a rapid 
one, and all subsistence and camp equipage had been left 
behind, except what the men could carry. So we had, in 
part, while at Middletown, to live off the country, regu- 
lar foraging details being sent out for the purpose of get- 
ting subsistence, which were fairly successful. And we 
had to extemporize such quarters as best we could, while 
staying at Middletown. We built up rail-pens, filling 
them in and covering them over with straw for quarters. 

24 



WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY 

They answered very well for that purpose, as the weather 
was then quite fine for that season of the year. 

( 67) On the 24th the command marched to Winches- 
ter, Va. For a little while, until our tents arrived, we oc- 
cupied the abandoned Rebel winter quarters at that place. 
made of cedar brush. It appeared that when the Johnnys 
vacated their quarters they were not entirely abandoned — 
we found other occupants of them. It was here that we 
made our first acquaintance with "grey-backs." We 
found them companions whose acquaintance was hard to 
cut. They seemed to be no respectors of persons. It was 
not an uncommon sight to see a Colonel with his shirt off 
looking industriously for the little enemy, just the same 
as though the said Colonel were a fellow of low degree. 
As Artemas Ward would perhaps have said, he. the 
"grey-back," was a "little cuss," who seemed to love war 
against the human species for its own sake, not caring a 
continental whether he attacked a Union soldier or a Reb. 

( <*>s ) When the regiment started on the raid by way 
of Strasburg, a part of it was left behind at Moorefield. 
This detail of about 75 men, and about the same number 
of the Tenth West Virginia Infantry, the latter under 
command of Capt. Darnell of the latter regiment, and the 
whole under command of Capt. J. W. Moffatt of Com- 
pany G of the Twelfth, struck tents and started for Win- 
chester with a wagon train of supplies for Cluseret's com- 
mand, leaving Moorefield the 28th. At Wordensville, 
four miles out, they were attacked by Rebel cavalry. The 
Wheeling Intelligencer of June — , 1865, in a sketch of 
the history of the Twelfth, said of this affair : "They 
were attacked by about 300 of Imboden's cavalry, and, 
notwithstanding the largely superior force of the enemy, 
Capt. Moffat repulsed them handsomely, driving them sev- 
eral miles, and conducted the train safely to Gen. Cluseret 
at Winchester." 

(69) The Intelligencer's statement regarding this af- 
fair is not strictly correct, for the Rebels captured 52 

25 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

horses from the train. No blame attaches to Capt. Mof- 
fatt, however, as he was a brave and faithful officer. 

(70) After this attack and repulse Capt. Moffatt and 
his train-guard had no further trouble. On the route 
they crossed the south branch of the Potomac, passed 
through Romney, crossed Lost River, passed through 
Blue Gap, crossed Capon River, and on the fifth day out, 
January 1st, 1863, arrived at Winchester, the train-guards 
of the Twelfth rejoining here their regiment. This was 
the day on which the President's Emancipation Procla- 
mation was to take effect, but strange to say the colored 
people of Winchester seemed utterly ignorant of the fact 
that there was such a thing as any proclamation of free- 
dom. 

(71) One was struck with the number of colored peo- 
ple in this town with white blood in them. They were of 
all shades of color, from, say half white to nearly white. 
An incident in this connection is perhaps deserving of a 
place. After we had been in Winchester for some time, 
and had begun to get a little acquainted, Surgeon Bryan 
of the Twelfth one day got into a conversation with a 
lady of the city, and, pertinent to the subject of the con- 
versation, remarked that he could scarcely distinguish the 
negroes from the wihtes. 

(72) "How is that," inquired the lady, "are the white 
people so dark?" 

(73) "Oh, no;" he replied, "it is not that the whites 
are so dark, but that the blacks are so white." 

(74) To go back a little, some skillful maneuvers by 
Gen. Cluseret, shortly after his arrival at Winchester from 
Strasburg, should be mentioned. One day there seemed 
to be some signs of an attack by Gen. Sam Jones. And 
it appeared as though our General wished to avoid, at that 
time, an attack from the enemy ; so he moved the bulk of 
his brigade, consisting in all of about 2,500 men, over a 
ridge to the north, a half mile distant, out of sight; then 
he brought them in view again, on the ridge several hun- 

26 



WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY 

dred yards to the right, marched them along the southern 
slope of the ridge, and passed over it out of sight, at the 
same place as before. Thus making it appear that two 
columns had crossed the ridge instead of one. 

(75) This maneuver was calculated to deceive the 
enemy if he viewed it from a distance, for some of our 
own men looking on from a distance, thought we were 
getting reinforcements. Some of the citizens of the town 
remarked afterward, it was said, that they thought that 
Gen. Cluseret's strategic handling of his brigade on that 
occasion was well done. 

(70) Winchester at the time of our occupancy of it was 
a rather pretty old town pleasantly situated, and of about 
0,000 inhabitants. It was a place of historic associations, 
among which may be named the fact that it was the burial 
spot of Gen. Daniel E. Morgan of Revolutionary fame, 
and it was destined to have still further historic associa- 
tions. 

(77) The citizens were almost universally disloyal; 
and the women especially took particular pains, on our 
coming among them, to show their hostility toward, and 
aversion for, the Yankess, by pulling their veils over their 
faces on passing the men on the street, and other like 
demonstrations. But time and association have their in- 
fluence, and after awhile these manifestations of dislike 
and enmity almost entirely ceased. In fact, on entering 
their houses the women would treat you courteously, and 
in some instances, it is remembered, that they used, in a 
half pleasant, half tantalizing way, to sing for and at us 
their Rebel songs, such as "The Bonny Blue Flag," etc., 
and then apologetically ask us to not be offended at their 
doing so. 

(78) The women here were notably handsome and 
fine looking, so much so as to be the subject of remark 
among our soldiers to that effect. A little incident may 
be here pertinently given. There was an old colored 
woman in the town, who used to work for the boys. On 

27 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

one occasion there was an allusion by some of them, in 
her presence, to the fact that there was a general concur- 
rence of opinion among both officers and men that the 
white women of Winchester were quite handsome. The 
old colored woman did not quite relish this compliment 
to the white women, and said that if they were hand- 
some in appearance they were not pretty in disposition, 
adding, "Indeed, honey, they could just cut your hearts 
out." Perhaps it was not without reason that this negress 
entertained this opinion. 

(79) There were more than 1,000 Rebel dead buried 
here, many of whom had been wounded at the Battle of 
Antietam, and died of their wounds at this place. 

(80) This post was destined to be our winter quarters 
for the remainder of the winter. We spent the time here 
in guard, picket and fatigue duty, the latter duty being in 
part, work on the fortifications; and in drilling, target 
practice, and an occasional scout, filling in the interims 
growling, playing cards, corresponding, reading the pa- 
pers, and occasionally talking on politics and disputing 
about the Emancipation Proclamation. Something about 
this last matter will be mentioned further along. 

(81) The arrival of the mail was always looked for- 
ward to with especial anxiety and interest by the boys. 
So eager were they to hear the news from home, some of 
the men in some of the companies, who could not write, 
inducing others to help them in their efforts, so applied 
themselves to learning to write that they were enabled to 
do their own corresponding before the war was over. The 
army was in this particular, as well as in some others, a 
good school for some of the boys. 

(82) Citizens used to come into camp at this place to 
sell pies, cakes, etc., to the soldiers, and the boys would 
sometimes cheat them shamefully. In one instance at 
least, a soldier passed a label taken from a bottle of Perry 
Davis's Pain-killer for money. Where a peddler of pies 
could not read and the boys paid in scrip they, in making 

28 



WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY 

change, would very likely take more money than they 
gave. It is not to be wondered at, in view of the sim- 
plicity and lack of intelligence on the part of many of the 
whites of the South, that they manifested the ignorance 
they did, implied in the question "What are you alls com- 
ing down here to fight we alls for?" 

(83) Even the citizens of apparently general intelli- 
gence seemed to have very hazy ideas of the real nature 
of the war. On one occasion a lady of Winchester, who 
did not seem to be of the ignorant class, asked the ques- 
tion, "How long do you intend to carry on the war 
against us?" and when told that the war would be pros- 
ecuted until the people of the South submitted to the 
authority of the United States; she seemed to regard the 
idea with horror and repugnance, and as a thought not to 
be entertained for a moment, throwing up her hands and 
exclaiming "Oh ! Oh !" 

(84) Possibly this lady's conception of the war, and 
that of thousands of others in the South, was that it was 
a fight to satisfy a spite or grudge, and after a sufficient 
revenge should be taken the war would stop. They 
seemed to have very little idea of the deep devotion to the 
old flag, on the part of the Union soldiers, and the loyal 
citizens generally, that made them willing to stand by it 
at any sacrifice; and perhaps no understanding of the de- 
mands of the future welfare of the nation, requiring the 
maintenance of the Union, and appealing to all Unionists 
to fight the war to a successful issue, if it was among 
human possibilities. 

( 85) Our present occupancy of Winchester continued 
for three months. During that time little of important 
interest took place. The cavalry here had some brushes 
with the Rebel cavalry. On one or two occasions some 
Pennsylvania cavalry (either the Twelfth or Thirteenth) 
was sent down the valley from the direction of Stras- 
burg, pell-mell into Winchester by the Rebel cavalry, some 

29 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

of the former, in one instance at least, losing their hats 
in their hasty retreat. 

(86) A reference to a diary kept by one of the boys, 
under date of February 27th, says that on that day our 
cavalry had an engagement with the Rebel cavalry ten 
miles out on the Strasburg road, in which our force was 
rather worsted, losing about 200 men. 

(87) During March we received some reinforcements, 
three regiments and a twelve-gun battery of Regulars. 
On March the 17th the voters of the West Virginia troops 
marched to the nearest point of that proposed State, to 
vote on the question of the adoption of the constitution. 

(88) On the 27th we struck tents and marched to 
Berryville, about ten miles distant. This was a small 

.town, on the road to Harpers Ferry, and near the Shen- 
andoah River. Two days later two regiments, the Sixth 
Maryland and the Sixty-seventh Pennsylvania Infantry, 
reinforced us at this place. 

(89) There were gueirillas, whose retreat was just 
across the Shenandoah River in the Blue Ridge, that were 
very bold and annoying at this place, frequently firing on 
the outposts. On the night of April 8th they captured 
two cavalry pickets and five horses of our command. On 
the night of the 21st a detail of 40 men under command 
of Lieut. David Powell of Company H, all of the Twelfth, 
crossed the river into London County, Virginia, and cap- 
tured the desperate and dangerous Capt. Lapole and 
seven of his men of these daring guerillas, bringing them 
in safe to camp as prisoners, receiving therefore the 
hearty thanks and commendation of the commander of the 
post at Berryville. 

(90) A comrade tells the story of the capture as fol- 
lows: 

(91) While the Twelfth West Virginia Regiment lay 
at Berrysville, Va., during the months of March and 
April, 18G3, the pickets, outposts and reconnoitering par- 
ties were constantly annoyed and harassed by frequent 

30 



WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY 

attacks from guerrilla bands, tinder command of Capt. 
Lapole, a noted desperado belonging to Mosby's com- 
mand. Quite a number of men had been killed by this 
Captain and his party. To capture them was no trifling 
undertaking. 

(92) Lieut. David Powell of Company H had been 
made provost marshal of the command. In this position 
he had an opportunity to quiz and learn from all parties 
who came to his office the whereabouts of Capt. Lapole 
and his men. At length a negro man, name forgotten, 
came and wished a permit to buy some sugar and coffee 
of the post Sutler. 

(93) On inquiry Lieut. Powell learned that he was 
from the east side of the Shenandoah River, where Capt. 
Lapole and his men always made their escape after mak- 
ing their attacks. At once the Lieut, suspected that the 
negro man had been sent to obtain the articles he desired, 
and took him into a back room to question him. The 
negro stoutly denied that he had been sent by Lapole or 
any of his men, but admitted that he knew Lapole and 
qiute a number of his men, and after close questioning 
said that Capt. Lapole and seven of his men were at his 
master's home and would remain there for the night. 

(94) At this Lieut. Powell told him if he would give 
such information as would lead to Capt. Lapole's capture 
he would give him $50. This was increased to $80 by 
Gen. Milroy. The negro at once acceded to the proposi- 
tion, and agreed to join in the work of his capture, and 
admitted that Capt. Lapole and his men had sent him for 
the coffee and sugar. He was allowed to purchase his 
articles and return to his home, with the understanding 
that if Capt. Lapole and his men remained at his master's 
he would come to the eastern bank of the river and light 
three matches in succession. Then someone would cross 
the river and learn all the facts respecting Lapole and his 
men. At the appointed time the lights Hashed across the 
river and Lieut Wycoff of the First New York Cavalry 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

crossed the river, and learned that Lapole and his men 
were there at his masters and would remain all night. 

(95) Lieut. Powell accompanied by Lieut. Thos. H. 
Means of Company H, came to the river, and while there 
signals were displayed from an upper window of a farm 
house, which display Lieut. Powell with a part of his 
command, went to the house to put a stop to. On going 
to the house he found quite a number of the fair sex 
collected, and a bounteous supper prepared for the boys 
on the other side of the river. 

(96) Lieut. Powell allowed his men to eat at the first 
table and then after giving strick orders that no lights 
should be exhibited from the house that night, he took 
from the house a negro guide and made for the river 
again. But on his return, Lieut. Means and his men 
could not be found, and no one dared to make a noise to 
call him. 

(97) Presently he came across Lieut. Wycoff, who 
had secured a leaky old boat and was waiting for Lieut. 
Powell and his men. As soon as Lieut. Powell came he, 
WycofT, told him what the negro had done and said. At 
once Lieut. Powell entered the boat with three other 
men — Samuel McDaniel and Harvey Haddox (the latter 
was afterward killed in the assault on battery Gregg, in 
front of Petersburg, Va.) as rowers of the boat. The 
other soldier was Elijah Mcintosh, all of Company H, 
(Mcintosh died at Winchester, October, 1864, from an 
overdose of morphine given him by a drunken doctor of 
the regiment.) Then the oarsmen returned and brought 
two others over until there were twenty-eight men in all 
on the east side of the river. With these twenty-eight men 
Lieut. Powell pushed on to where Lapole and his men 
were lodging for the night. 

(98) McDaniel and Haddox took charge of the boat 
and started down the river, which was fearfully high and 
rabid, and the night was so dark that no one could see 
an object ten feet away. Thus three miles had to be 

32 



WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY 

traveled down the river, before coming to the house where 
the men sought, were to be found. 

(99) Before reaching the house the chickens were 
crowing for day and already the dawn of light was 
beginning to show above the mountain height. (Blue 
Mountain.) 

(100) The negro guide made a mistake and led to 
the wrong house, not more than four hundred yards 
away. The noise here in bursting open the door was 
loud, but fortunately not loud enough to waken the sen- 
tinel, who, not more than twenty minutes before had 
been permitted by his Captain to lie down and sleep, for 
he had announced the dawn of day and all quiet. 

(101) Lieut. Powell had divided his men into two sec- 
tions — the first, was to move on to the house, and then 
open order and quickly move around the house", so as to 
enclose it. The other section was to rush with all their 
force against the door, and if possible mash it in upon 
the men who were sleeping on the floor. The first crash, 
the door flew from its hinges and fell within upon the 
now frightened foe. 

(102) Without firing a shot, the whole crew cried for 
quarter. A light was struck and just as the light flamed 
up, one of the men fled up a stair way. When persued 
he was found close in by the side of a fat chubby girl who 
had been sleeping alone upstairs. When requested to 
come forth, he quickly obeyed and begged for quarter. 
The girl was heartily scared. Some of the men were for 
capturing her, but on closer view they decided that she 
was a woman and ought to be left to finish her morning 
nap. 

(104) All the prisoners, Capt. Lapole and seven men 
were properly searched, their arms secured, and a rapid 
fall back upon the river was made, where the two men 
with their boat was in waiting. Lieut. Wycoff had also 
secured another boat. 

(105) Lieut. Means and his men were on the other 

33 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

side ; also, two pieces of artillery were planted to secure 
a safe crossing of the river, against an attack from Mosby 
and his men, who were only a mile or so distant. 

(100) Lieut. Powell saw all his men and his prisoners 
safely across, then he the last of all, came across, having 
with his brave men, accompanied one of the most daring 
feats of the war. The crossing of the river alone, was 
one of the most perilous adventures one could undertake. 

(107) After crossing the river, and forming his men, 
Lieut. Powell marched with his prisoners to Berrysville, 
where he securely placed them in the county jail, under a 
vigilant guard. He and his men received the compli- 
mentary notice of Col. McReynolds, commanding post ; 
of Gen. R. H. Milroy, commanding at Winchester, Va., 
and of Gen. Robert Schenck, who commanded the 
norther part of Virginia and of Maryland. 

( 108) Lapole, the morning after his capture, proposed 
that if he could be allowed fifty yards, and then a chance 
for escape,, he would allow six or eight men to shoot at 
him. But when told there were that many men in the 
command who could kill a deer 100 yards running, he 
gave up the matter as a dangerous undertaking. 

(109) He was afterward tried by a military court at 
Fort McHenry at Baltimore, and was sentenced to be 
hung, which sentence was executed on the 8th of May, 
1864, one year and one month after his capture. 

(110) The negro who informed, was literally shot to 
pieces afterward, by Lapole's comrades in their guerrilla 
warfare. 

(111) The men who crossed the river and captured 
Lapole, did their duty nobly. Not one of them failing in 
a single duty assigned them. 

(112) It was a mortification to Lieut. Means, that he 
did not get to cross the river and to share the danger 
with others. 

(113) The men who participated in the capture of 
Lapole and his men, were largely volunteers from the 

34 



WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY 

several companies of the regiment. There was never 
any need of a detail when it was known that Lient. Powell 
was to command. 

(114) A company of the Twelfth, on the night of the 
twenty-ninth went out from camp a few miles to a house 
to capture some "bush-whackers" supposed to be there; 
but they failed to get any. 

(115) In this connection may be told a little joke on 
Sergeant James Porter, who was of the detachment. 
There was a beautiful girl at the house, whom the 
sergeant got to see, and with whose beauty he was it 
seemed, much impressed. It appeared that the matter 
rested upon his mind ; and the next day, though a quiet 
man, he referred to her beauty in evident admiration, 
saying, "Boys that was a mighty pretty girl that we saw 
last night, and I have a notion to go back there." 

(110) Our stay at Berryville now May ninth, came 
to a close. The regiment at this date received orders 
to proceed to Clarksburg, W. Va., to protect that place, 
which was threatened with an attack by a rebel force 
under Gen. Jones, who was raiding the country about 
there generally. 

(117) We started on our march to Clarksburg in the 
afternoon, to go by way of Harpers Ferry to take the 
cars there, to the former place. We marched through 
that old town of Charlestown, W. Va., near Harpers 
Ferry, which old town is destined to be historic, and a 
noted place for long years to come, because of its associa- 
tion with the name of John Brown, of Osawatomie, 
whose memory is world-wide. As showing the extent 
of the name and fame of John Brown, an incident is here 
given in substance, as related some years ago by the late 
Thomes Hughes, "Tom Brown of Rugby," then ex- 
member of parliament. 

(118) It was after our late Civil War that he, Thomas 
Hughes, was one day walking along in London, not far 
from London bridge, when he heard a sound of voices 

35 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

that arrested his attention. He listened and soon dis- 
covered that the sound proceeded from a regiment of 
British soldiers crossing the bridge singing, "John 
Brown's body lies mouldering in the tomb," etc. In 
writing about this occurrence he indulged in this reflec- 
tion. That when such men as he should be forgotten, the 
name of John Brown would still be remembered. 

(119) It was perhaps between nine and ten o'clock at 
night — that night in May — when we passed through the 
old town. The lights were out, the streets deserted, the 
citizens apparently had retired for the night ; and the town 
seemed wrapped in slumber. There was nothing to 
disturb the quiet of the night, and the solemn stillness 
of all about, but the monotonous tramp, tramp of the 
soldiers as they marched ; when suddenly the quiet was 
broken; Company A, at the head of the regiment struck 
up the song of "John Brown," and other companies taking 
it up soon all were singing. 

(120) Pretty soon windows were hoisted, shutters 
were thrown open and lights flashed out on the streets. 
It seemed as if the citizens of the old town were 
startled ! Possibly they thought the spirit of John Brown 
had come back from the spirit world to haunt them. 

(121) A few years before the soldiers of Virginia was 
here to see that John Brown should be hanged, that 
human servitude in the land might be made more secure. 
Then the moral atmosphere of our land was murky with 
greed, selfishness and prejudice. Men's understandings 
were perverted; they called wrong right, and preached 
it as a holy thing. It was almost true, that he had no 
friend, that dared proclaim the fact, and that none were 
so poor as to do him reverence. Then, too, there were 
distant rumblings of a coming storm, but the cloud on 
the horizon was no larger than a man's hand. 

(122) Today the storm of war had burst upon the 
land with threatening fury. The whole country was 
turned into a field of war. There were other soldiers 



36 



WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY 

on duty now. They were righting to maintain the Union 
of their fathers, "shouting the battle cry of freedom," 
and every step they took was leading to the doom of 
slavery. 

(123) The thunder and lightning of war was clear- 
ing the moral atmosphere. Men saw things differently 
now ; and while the men of the old Twelfth, like many 
others, gave a sort of superficial disapproval of the con- 
duct of John Brown, deep down in their hearts, in these 
perilous times which were anew trying men's souls, they 
felt an admiration for the old hero who died bravely, in 
an insane attempt to free from bondage a despised race ; 
and hence, they sang with gusto the John Brown war 
song, as they marched through that town in the Valley 
which will suggest his name for generations to come. 

(124) Considering the wonderful contrast between the 
spectacle of this regiment's then singing the battle hymn 
whose refrain is, "But His Soul Goes Marching On," and 
that which was to be seen there only a few years before, 
the incident was a most extraordinary and impressive 
one. 

(125) On the eleventh, we arrived to within five 
miles of Clarksburg, where the enemy had destroyed a 
railroad bridge. We got off the cars here, got our dinner 
and marched the same day to Clarksburg. The Rebel 
Gen. Jones made no attack on the place. During this 
stay at this place, Mr. Nathaniel Wells, of Brooke county, 
brought tickets out from Hancock county, for the soldiers 
of the latter to vote. 

(126) We remained at this place doing picket duty, 
and drilling nearly every day, with nothing particular 
occurring, until June second, when we had orders to 
march, taking a freight train for Grafton on the Balti- 
more and Ohio railroad, where we were paid on that day 
two months pay. The next morning we took the cars at 
this place for Martinsburg, arriving there the following 
night; and in the morning following, we started on the 

37 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

march up the Valley Pike for Winchester, more than 
"Twenty miles away" arriving on the fifth at that place. 
We camped on the southwest of the town. Here at this 
time we drew sheter tents. This appeared like getting 
down to business — looked like stripping for a fight. 



:;s 



CHAPTER IV. 

(127) The time for the taking place of important 
events was approaching. The near future was pregnant 
with events for the Twelfth ; the time for the battle of 
Winchester under Gen. Milroy was not far off. And an 
important crisis for the entire nation in the progress of 
the war was almost at hand, involving the welfare of the 
country and the better interests of mankind generally ; 
for the battle of Gettysburg, the greatest battle of the 
war, and the greatest battle ever fought on American 
soil — a battle which is now regarded as the turning point 
of the war, was about to be fought. 

(128) We had now been in the service for nearly ten 
months and the regiment, as a whole, had never been in 
an engagement. We sometimes wondered whether we 
should ever get into a battle. It is safe to say that most 
of the boys were anxious to see, at least, one fight ; and 
some of them were want to say somewhat boastfully, that 
they were "spoiling for a fight." Any doubts, however, 
as to whether we were to see a battle were soon to be 
dispelled ; and the desire to see one, or to be engaged in it. 
was destined to be more than satisfied, at a later period. 

(129) "Coming events cast their shadows before." 
There are frequently harbingers of future occurrences ; 
but the difficulty is to measure their significance, and to 
know what is best to do in view of them. There began 
to be signs of a coming conflict in this field of operations. 
The next day after our return to this place we had orders 
to lie on our arms the succeeding night ; and the next 
night. Sunday, the seventh, at 10 o'clock three com- 
panies, D, E, and I, were sent out on the Strasburg road 
to reinforce the picket there. The three companies 
stayed out till morning, when they returned to camp. 
Two days later the situation was becoming more threat- 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

ening. Companies F, I, C, and H, under command of 
Col. Northcott were ordered out to support, at night, a 
section of artillery, which at the time was placed in 
position every night to be ready in case of an attack. 

(130) In the morning, no enemy having appeared, 
the four companies returned to camp. This day, the 
eleventh, Major Pierpont gave us a farewell address, he 
having resigned as mayor, to accept the office of adjutant 
general of West Virginia. He left much to the regret of 
the Twelfth, being a general favorite. 

(131) The bloody ordeal of a general battle for the 
whole command was just now at hand. The next day 
the Eighty-seventh Pennsylvania with some cavalry and 
artillery went out the Strasburg road five miles, and 
ambushing a force of Rebel cavalry, they killed and 
wounded some fifty of them, and captured about forty 
prisoners without the loss of a man of the Eighty-seventh. 
The boys of that regiment came back in good spirits say- 
ing, that they had "skunked them." 

(132) That night four companies of the Twelfth were 
again ordered to support a battery. They returned from 
doing that duty at 7 oclock next morning ; but before they 
got their breakfast, the whole regiment was ordered into 
line. After standing in line for awhile, we got orders 
to fill our canteens with water and get one day's rations 
in our haversacks; and about 11 o'clock we marched out 
on the Strasburg road. At the same time, cannonading 
commenced on our left, which told us the battle was on. 

(133) We changed our position several times until 
we got into a piece of woods. Here we were ordered to 
take off and pile up our knapsacks, which we did. The 
Rebels were advancing a heavy skirmich line in front; 
and soon were heard those peculiar sounds, the whistling 
of the minnie-balls, to which the men afterward became 
quite accustomed. So unaccustomed were they to the 
whistling sounds, that they began to question among 
themselves as to what they were, some saying that they 

40 



WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER [NFANTRY 

were the sounds of flying bullets ; others that they were 
not. An officer hearing the talk said : "Boys those are 
bullets as sure as you live." This assurance together 
with the increasing frequency of the sounds, settled the 
matter in their minds ; and they never afterward had any 
doubts as to what it was, when they heard the whistle 
of bullets. 

(134) We opened on the advancing enemy, and for 
about an hour we kept up a heavy fire. We held the 
Rebel's in check in our front. After a while Adjt. Cald- 
well reporting that the enemy was flanking us on our 
right, Company A, under command of Lieut. Burley was 
ordered to form a skirmish line, and move to that flank 
to protect it. The force there, however, moving against 
us was too heavy to be kept back by one company of 
skirmishes ; so the Colonel ordered us to fall back behind 
a small creek which position we held till dark. 

(135) When we retired from the woods to the creek, 
the Colonel marched us to the rear by file, instead of in 
line of battle, which latter order under the circumstances, 
military tactics, it is taken, would demand. We filed off 
the field by the left flank, and in doing so the right had 
to march the length of the regiment before gaining a step 
to the rear. It was while thus marching to the point of 
filing left to the rear, Lieut. Bradley, of Company I, was 
shot dead. We left our knapsacks in the woods, where 
we had unslung them. They, of course, fell into the 
hands of the Johnnys, who, no doubt, examined them 
with a good deal of interest. This, our first engagement, 
was the only one in which we met with anything like a 
general loss of equipments. 

(136) Col. Curtis, then Captain of Company D, used 
to tell this ancedote concerning this day's fighting. There 
was an Irishman in his company whose name was 
Tommy Burke, who, like his nationality in general, was 
quick-witted and humorous. During the fighting in the 
woods the hammer was shot off his gun, and about the 

41 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

same time he missed his haversack, Tommy believed — no 
doubt correctly — that it had been shot away too. Being 
thus completely knocked out as it were, he turned to the 
Captain saying, with reference principally, it is presumed 
to the loss of his haversack, "Captain, Captain, the bloody 
Rebels have cut ahff my supplies." 

(137) After dark we fell back from the creek to a 
stone wall at the outskirts of town, when it began pouring 
down rain in torrents. At 2 o'clock in the morning, 
Sunday the 14th, we marched up into the fortifications, 
remaining there till 7 o'clock. At this time while in the 
fortifications, Lieut. Melvin of Company I, arrived from 
home, showing that the rear was still open till near that 
Sunday morning, at least. 

( 138) Our regiment was the first to go out of the forti- 
fications that morning. We took a position behind a 
stone wall between the Strasburg and Romney roads, 
and about a mile from the main fort, which we held till 
ordered back. A little later two companies as skirmishers 
took position behind the stone wall we had just left. The 
left wing was held in reserve, while the right supported a 
battery placed at about 900 yards from the Rebel lines. 

(139) In front of this battery off to the southwest the 
Johnnys were behind a stone wall. Our artillery did 
some very accurate shooting, knocking several holes in 
the wall behind which the Johnnys were, causing them, 
when the wall was struck, to scatter in a lively manner, 
and thus affording for the time being, at least, great sport 
for our boys, though they were quite worn out from 
want of sleep, having had little or none the night before. 
Occasional shots from the enemy reached this battery. It 
was one of these that struck and killed Lieut. Beugough 
of Company F, who was lying sleeping at the time, being 
overcome by want of sleep. 

(140) About 5 o'clock P. M. the whole regiment 
advanced to the stone wall. A half hour later the Rebels 
opened a tremendous fire with their artillery, which 

42 



WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY 

heretofore, during the day had been quiet, on our forti- 
fications. The whole force then fell back to the forts, the 
Rebels having shortly before this captured battery L, of 
the Regulars. Thus practically ended this day's fighting. 
However, our siege guns replied to the Rebel guns till 
about night, the roar of our heavy guns being deafening. 

(141) The Rebel artillery fire came from a ridge 
southwest of our forts, and was directed seemingly to the 
flag staff of the main fort ; and when Gen. Milroy climbed 
the flag staff, as he did, in order to get a view of the 
Rebel batteries, it may be, or to note the effect of our fire, 
the boys cheered him lustily. 

(142) Greely in the American Conflict says in regard 
to this capture of Winchester by the Rebels, that our 
men took a prisoner Saturday night the 13th, "who rather 
astonished Milroy by the information that he belonged .to 
Ewell's corps ; and that Longstreet's also was just at 
hand — the two numbering about 50,000 men." 

(143) In regard to the operations of the next day, 
Sunday, 14th, he says that at 4 P. M. they (the Rebels) 
made a charge up the Front Royal road to the edge of 
town, but were repulsed. A little later they opened fire 
from two eight-gun batteries on the northwest, hardly a 
mile from town ; and forthwith Ewell's infantry swept 
up to and over our breastworks, disregarding the fire of 
our guns, driving out the 110th Ohio with heavy loss, 
and planting their colors on our defenses. Meantime, 
the city had been substantially invested on every side, and 
was now virtually lost; though an attempt to storm the 
main fort from the position first gained was repulsed." 

(144) Referring to the foregoing alleged attempt to 
storm the main fort, if there was any made, it was after 
dark. It is remembered that there was heavy firing from 
the fort, on the northwest side, as though the enemy was 
making an attack, but it never seemed quite clear that he 
was, as it was so dark at the time that an object could be 
seen but a short distance. 



43 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

(145) At 1 o'clock A. M. Monday, 15th, Milroy held a 
council of war which decided to evacuate our force of 
all arms being only 10,000, and not all of it effective, 
against a corps of 25,000 and more if necessary. The 
artillery was spiked, the harness cut up, the axles and 
wheels sawed to pieces, and at 2 o'clock, the whole com- 
mand began moving out to evacuate the fort, the soldiers 
hastily breaking some boxes of crackers (conveniently 
placed for the purpose) with the butts of their muskets, 
and putting some of the crackers in their haversacks, as 
they marched out. 

(146) We started on the road leading to Martinsburg. 
A mile or two from the fort, Gen. Milroy rode along the 
road past the men telling them to push along; that he 
wanted to get as far out the road as possible before day- 
light. The Twelfth was somewhere about the middle 
of the line". Four miles from Winchester our advance was 
attacked by a division of Rebels holding the road in our 
front. It was at this time just breaking day. There was 
very heavy firing for about a half hour — heavier than at 
any time during the two proceeding days. 

(147) We were halted when fighting began in our 
front ; and stood in line seemingly waiting on orders, but 
none coming we filed to the left of the pike, and started 
in the direction of North Mountain. It was just here 
where we left the pike, that Lieut. Col. Northcott, getting 
seperated from the regiment, was captured. We encoun- 
tered no enemy until we got to the base of the mountain 
several miles distant. Here we were fired upon by some 
Rebel cavalry, from a road running along the base of the 
mountain. Company A, being at the head of the regiment 
opened fire in return upon the Johnnys, pouring it in 
briskly, and they soon got out of the way. We had now 
got outside of the Rebel ring. None of our men were hit 
at this place. 

(148) The One Hundred and Sixteenth Ohio, the 
First New York cavalry and the Twelfth West Virginia, 

44 



WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY 

were the only regiments that came out of the fight retain- 
ing their organizations. We lost no men as prisoners 
except those who had in some way got seperated from 
the regiment ; though our loss in prisoners was consid- 
erable, about 200. Among these were, Lieut. Col. 
Northcott, Asst. Surgeon, F. H. Patton, and Lieut. 
Henry F. Anshultz. Among the killed were, Lieut. 
Thomas W. Bradley of Company I, and Lieut. John T. 
Beugough of Company F; and among the wounded was 
Lieut. James R. Dunham of Company E. 

(149) This fight at Winchester was a disastrous one 
for the Union cause. Milroy lost between 3,000 and 
1,000 men, all his artillery and some 400 wagons, the 
troops coming out of it, retaining their organizations, had 
only their small arms. 

(150) It was an opinion entertained by many of 
Milroy's men, that this disaster to our arms was largely 
compensated for, by the alleged fact that his stubborn 
resistance at Winchester had so detained Lee in his 
invasion of Pennsylvania, that Hooker and Meade were 
the better enabled to concentrate their forces to protect 
Washington and meet him in battle. There is seemingly 
not much in this view ; for it was only a part of Lee's army 
that was detained ; the bulk of it kept moving on, not 
being detained, in the least, by Milroy. Days after his 
rout the enemy was still on the road south of Winchester, 
marching down the Valley, as will appear further along. 

(151) It was more than two weeks after Milroy's 
defeat that the battle of Gettysburg was fought. He 
could have got out his entire command, if he had started 
one day sooner. Considering the length of time after 
the defeat, before the battle of Gettysburg took place, 
this detention of the advance of Lee's army for only o^e 
day longer than was consistent with his escape, was of 
not very great importance, Greely says, "Milroy's great 
mistake was holding on just one day too long — his com- 
munications with Schenck and Halleck having already 



45 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

been served." This will doubtless be the verdict of 
history. It was for this blunder and its consequences, 
evidently, that he was relieved from command of his 
army. 

(152) Going back a little, Col. Curtis tells this story 
about Lieut. Phil Bier of Company A, in reference to our 
being fired upon by the Rebels at the foot of North 
Mountain. When our men began returning the fire, some 
one shouted, "You are shooting the cattle." Lieut. Bier 

replied, "D n it! whoever heard of cattle shooting — 

give it to them boys." 

(153) In this connection it is proper to speak of the 
conduct of Sergt. Henry Spear, of Company D, at this 
time. When we were fired upon, some of the boys, not 
knowing, of course, the strength of the enemy, and being 
taken by surprise, began shying off to one side of the 
road into the woods. Sergt. Spear, however, walked 
toward the Johnnys, so as to get a good view ; and spying 
a fellow behind a fefice, took deliberate aim at him and 
fired. He got from behind the fence quickly. Spear 
had unknowingly exchanged guns with a comrade at 
night in the fortifications. He insisted that if he had had 
his own gun, he would have shot the Johnny. 

(154) In closing any reference to the fighting of our 
regiment at this battle of Winchester, it is but simple 
justice to say that the manner in which Company B, 
acquitted itself on the first day's engagement, as skir- 
mishers, called forth deserved praise. 

( 155) Here is an incident of our retreat copied almost 
verbatim from an old letter written at the time, well 
worthy of a place. After we had driven off the cavalry 
at the foot of the mountain, and were ascending It along 
a road, through a sort of defile, near the top a girl of 
pome fourteen or fifteen years, barefooted, bareheaded, 
her hair hanging loosely down over her shoulders came 
out from a humble, unpretentious dwelling near by, and 
with a coolness and confidence calculated, under the 



40 



WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY 

circumstances, to excite admiration, inquired for the 
Colonel telling him that she thought it best to not take the 
road he was on ; that she had heard that the Rebels held 
it at the point where it intersected the Baltimore and 
Ohio railroad, about 35 miles distant; and when inquiry 
was made of her as to whether she could show us 
another route that was open, she said that she thought 
she could. 

(15(5) When the Colonel told her that we would burn 
their house if she deceived us intentionally, and got us 
to take a road on which we would be intercepted by the 
Rebels, she showed no alarm, and was not in the least 
disconcerted. She went with us about four miles along 
a path on the mountain crest, where we had to walk in 
single file. Striking another road here, she left us. 
Before she left, however, each of several officers gave 
her some money. 

(157) This young heroine talked very rapidly — was 
not bold, but had a simple confidence — and was not a bit 
afraid of the soldiers. Her hair was blonde, her fore- 
head high, she was intellectual in appearance, and had 
native beauty of person. This mountain maid needed 
only a little polish to make her highly attractive. It i« 
to be hoped that she never had to suffer at the hands of 
the Rebels for giving aid and comfort to the enemy. The 
soldiers of the Twelfth who met her that morning on the 
mountain will long remember her. 

(158) We continued our retreat in a somewhat 
northerly direction, camping at night in the mountain. 
At about midnight we renewed our march and in the 
forenoon of the next day, crossed the Potomac into Mary- 
land, at a placed called Millstone point, wading the 
stream. Passing on up the river five miles farther we 
reached Hancock on the Baltimore and Ohio railroad 
about noon. The men, of course, by this time were 
much exhausted from two or three days' fighting, little 
sleep since the fight began three days before, little to eat 

47 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

for the last day or two, and hard marching. It is 
believed that the men generally, got something to eat 
here. 

(159) The One Hundred and Sixteenth Ohio, which 
arriving on another road, and portions of the First New 
York, and Twelfth Pennsylvania cavalry, with some 
stragglers from various commands ; joined us at this 
place. Scouts reporting that some Rebel cavalry coming 
from the direction of Martinsburg were going to receive 
them ; but no attack was made however. We stayed here 
till 10 o'clock at night, when we marched to Little New 
Orleans, eighteen miles distant, arriving there sometime 
the next day. We expected to take the care here for Cum- 
berland, Md., but no cars came. 

(160) We waited here till dark, when Col. Washburn 
of the One Hundred and Sixteenth Ohio, receiving a 
dispatch from the colonel of the First New York, that 
the enemy held Cumberland, we went a little back on a 
hill and camped for the night in some woods. Having 
got some coffee, meat and flour at Little New Orleans 
we managed to make out of these articles a slim breakfast 
in the morning, and began our march for Bloody Run, 
Pa., about thirty-five miles distant, arriving there the 19th. 

(161) When we got into Pennsylvania we struck a 
new atmosphere. If hitherto, when we were in the so- 
called Confederacy there was always a feeling present, 
that we were out of our country, we now felt that we 
were once more in the land of the "stars and stripes," 
the United States of America. The people all along the 
road gave us a hearty welcome, and freely gave us food. 
There was no danger of being bush-whacked here, if 
you should chance to become seperated from your 
command. 

(162) When we arrived at Bloody Run, we met Gen. 
Milroy there. This meeting was the first knowledge we 
had, that he had escaped from Winchester. He proceeded 
to reorganize his command, but was soon relieved 



48 



WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY 

because of his disastrous defeat. The members of the 
Twelfth generally, regretted very much to part with their 
brave old commander, who was familiarly known in his 
command as the "Old Grey Eagle," as he was a general 
favorite with them. They felt that he had been harshly 
dealt with, considering that the last order he had received 
from Gen. Schenck at Baltimore, commander of the 
department, communication being soon thereafter cut off 
was to "hold the place until further orders." They 
thought that his fault, if it was such, was in too literally 
obeying orders. 

(163) Col. Pierce of the Twelfth Pennsylvania cavalry 
being the senior of the officers present, took command of 
the remnant of Milroy's demoralized force after Milroy 
was relieved of his command ; and Col. Plunk of the 
Twelfth West Virginia, was put in command of the 
infantry. We remained at Bloody Run till the 30th, 
when we marched to Bedford, Pa., starting in the morn- 
ing and passing up the Juniata river, we arrived here 
about 1 o'clock P. M. of that day. Here we drew blankets 
and clothing the first after leaving Winchester. 

(104) We stayed at Bedford till July 3rd, when we 
had orders to march starting in the direction of Gettys- 
burg, but too late to participate in the battle that was 
then going on there. We passed through Bloody Run 
and Connellsburg, arriving at London, Franklin county, 
the 5th, making a distance of about forty-five miles. 
Somewhere on the road perhaps on the 4th, we got of a 
daily paper of the date of July 3rd, which gave a vague, 
indefinite, unsatisfactory mention of the battle, taking 
place at Gettysburg; which, of course, made us exceed- 
ingly anxious for more news. 

(105) Most of the infantry went on six miles farther 
to Mercersburg to meet 200 or 300 of our cavalry who 
had captured a Rebel train of wagons, with the guards, 
hauling wounded and plunder to the crossing of the 
Potomac at Williamsporth, Md. There were 110 wagons 

49 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

and ambulances, and about 600 prisoners, half of whom 
were wounded in this capture. The wagons were loaded 
up with quartermaster's stores, and all kinds of plunder 
of which they had robbed the people on their invasion. 
There were several thousand dollars worth of fine cloths, 
cassimeres, silks, and etc., in whole bolts in this plunder. 

(166) Hospitals were established at Mercersburg, and 
the Rebel wounded were cared for. They were in a 
horrible condition, having been there from three to five 
days without having had their wounds dressed. The next 
day the infantry returned to London bringing back the 
unwounded prisoners, about 300 in number, and the 
wagons and etc. The wagons, ambulances and stolen 
goods were turned over to the quartermaster's depart- 
ment. 

(167) We remained at London until the 13th, when 
we were ordered at 3 o'clock A. M., to prepare one day's 
rations and get ready to march. We started at 6 o'clock 
A. M., marching through Mercersburg and Greencastle, 
we reached Hagerstown, Md., the next day. Passing 
through the town, we camped about two miles south of 
it in the middle of the afternoon, having marched thirty- 
two miles. 

(168) The battle of Gettysburg had been fought, the 
Rebels had met "a bitter crushing defeat," and "the Army 
of the Potomac had won a clean, honest, acknowledged 
victory." Lee's army had retreated as far as the Potomac; 
but when it reached there it found its pontoons gone, 
they having been destroyed by some of our forces, sent 
up from Harpers Ferry for that purpose and the river 
was so high from • recent rains that it could not be 
forded. Lee was compelled to halt until he could restore 
his means of crossing. In the meantime the Army of 
the Potomac had come up and was again facing its old 
enemy. Gen. Meade, however, was hesitating to make 
an attack, when he received orders from Washington to 
do so, and accordingly he would have attacked the Rebels 

50 



WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY 

the day, the 14th, we of the remnant of Milroy's army 
passed through Hagerstown in the vicinity of which place 
the two armies confronted each other; but on the previous 
night, Lee got his army across the river; not however, 
without considerable loss, Kilkpatrick having, after a 
sharp engagement, captured 1,500 of the Rebel rear- 
guard. If there had been a battle there, as Meade 
expected, it is more than probable that the Twelfth would 
have been on the ground in time to have engaged in it. 

(169) Here is an ancedote of Lee's invasion of Penn- 
sylvania, heard at the time of his retreat, that should not 
be lost. A Rebel officer, as Lee was marching north 
through the state stopped at a private house for some 
purpose. The woman of the house with some curiosity 
asked him where they were going, which presumably, 
he did not know, and would not have told if he had 
known. But he replied, "We are going to Boston." The 
woman said to him, "You'll get 'Boston' before you get 
back." 

(170) When Lee's army was retreating the same 
officer stopped at the same house and reminded the 
woman that he had stopped there before, saying to her. 
"Madam, I have just called to say that we got 'Boston.' ' 

(171) The next day after Lee crossed the Potomac, 
the First Corps of the Army of the Potomac passed our 
camp en route to Harpers Ferry. They had been on 
the go marching and righting for about a month, with 
no time to do any washing or to get new clothes ; and, of 
course, they were covered with dust and dirt, and were 
hard looking generally. A large part of Milroy's men 
had new uniforms and were pretty bright and clean 
looking, and the First Corps boys tantalizingly called 
us Sunday soldiers. 

(172) The Sixteenth, we of Milroy's late command, 
marched to Sharpsburg, Md., ten miles distant. Some 
time during the latter part of July, while we were at 
Sharpsburg, Capt. W. B. Curtis of Company D, received 

51 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

his commission as major of the regiment, to rank as 
such from June 17th, 1863. 

(173) This vicinity is Maj. Curtis's birth place, having 
been born here April 18th, 1821. He migrated from 
here in 1827 to West Virginia. He recognized the old 
log house in which he was born. It was pierced with 
cannon balls in several places during the battle of 
Antieam. He met several of his relatives who were 
loyal and made him welcome, while we remained here. 

(174) Maj. Curtis on the receipt of his commission 
was immediate put in command of the regiment, as the 
Lieutenant Colonel was still held a prisoner of war, and 
the Colonel was in command of a brigade. For more than 
two weeks we remained at this old village, which is 
indeed, a very old one apparently; there being one or 
more old-style churches in it gone into disuse, and tumb- 
ling down. It is historically interesting too, as being 
the scene of the bloodiest battle (at the date of it) 
ever fought on American soil, the battle of Antieam ; 
and is today the site of one of the great National 
Soldiers cemetery. 

(175) On August 4th, we were ordered to Martins- 
burg, W. Va. We started in the morning and marched 
to Harpers Ferry, a distance of ten miles, took the cars 
there which carried us to within two miles of Martins- 
burg, they being prevented from going any further by 
reason of the railroad's having been torn up by the 
enemies, got out of the cars when they stopped and 
marched the rest of the way to town in the evening and 
camped for the night. 

(176) In the morning we moved our camp to a pretty 
lawn of some five acres at the edge of town, filled with 
fine young shade trees, the property of the Hon. Chas. 
James Faulkner, who held in all about 800 acres of 
valuable land adjacent to town. As the weather was 
very warm we wanted to camp on this lawn to get the 
benefit of the shade there. No doubt our doing so was 



52 



WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY 

not altogether agreeable to Mrs. Faulkner and daughters 
who still occupied the fine mansion at the rear of the 
lawn. But as Mr. Faulkner had seen fit to join his 
fortune with that of the Rebellion, it was hardly any part 
of our business to be consulting his interests, or the 
wishes of his household, though Mrs. Faulkner used to 
claim to be a good Union woman. She protested that 
she was such, to the Union soldiers, at least, fortifying 
tins claim on one occasion, by saying that she "would 
not give a cent for a woman that did not have a mind 
of her own — would you?" Subsequent events seemed 
to show that the lady did protest too much. 

(177) Martinsburg at this time was a thrifty town of 
several thousand inhabitants, situated in the Shenandoah 
Valley on the Baltimore and Ohio railroad, and was 
noted for the general loyalty of its inhabitants. There 
was always an air of welcome to us about the place. 



53 



CHAPTER V. 

(178) Col. Klunk during the time the regiment was 
straggling about in the Cumberland Valley, sent in his 
resignation, upon the plea of sickness in his family, and 
while stationed at Martinsburg he received notice that it 
had been accepted. This left the regiment with Major 
Curtis as the only field officer with it, Lieut. Col. North- 
cott being still a prisoner. 

(179) Our regiment remained on the Faulkner lawn 
until the 25th, when we moved our camp to the north- 
west side of the town, where the other troops were 
encamped. We stayed at Martinsburg about two and a 
half months. While we were here Quartermaster Gen. 
Meigs inspected the troops at this place. Also while 
at this place there was a grand parade and review of the 
troops on the occasion of the presentation of a flag to the 
First New York Cavalry. Col. McReynolds of that 
regiment making on that occasion a short speech. 

(180) September 25th, fifty men of the regiment were 
detailed to cook rations for the troops passing from the 
Army of the Potomac to Gen. Grant's army at Chata- 
nooga. The next day part of the Eleventh Corps passed 
through by rail going to join Grant. The next day 
after that, Gen. Howard, commander of the Eleventh 
Corps, passed over the railroad following his troops. A 
salute was fired in his honor as he passed. One day 
later some more troops from the Army of the Potomac 
(part of the Twelfth Corps) followed on after the 
others. 

(181) While we were at this point a considerable 
number of the boys of the Twelfth got furloughs. Perti- 
nent to the subject of furloughs may be mentioned here 
an incident of the many illustrating the humors of camp 
life. There were two brothers in Company I, Van and 
Tom. While we were in Pennsylvania during Lee's 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

invasion of that state, Van became sick and we left him 
behind on leaving there; and during our stay at Martins- 
burg Tom, not having heard from Van, and not knowing 
whether he was alive or not, became uneasy about him. 
So he made an application to get a furlough to go to 
hunt his brother up; but he failed to get it. Some days 
after this Tom, it seemed, had been in too close prox- 
imity to some fellow who had been looking on the wine, 
when it was red (or something of that kind) getting a 
sniff perhaps of his breath, and Tom's sensibilities were 
somewhat aroused. In this condition Tom got to thinking 
about the case of Van, and becoming somewhat 
desperate he said that he was going to apply again for a 
furlough to hunt him up. Adding that if he did not get 
one he would go anyhow. "I'm going by thunder," said 
he, "I don't care if the war stops!" 

(182) It happened that Tom's second application 
failed. He thought better of it, and concluded that he 
would not go without a furlough and the war went on. 
It should be said that in due time Van returned to the 
regiment. 

(183) Referring to a diary kept by one of the boys 
of the Twelfth, it is seen that a number of prisoners 
was captured "near North Mountain" on October 16th. 
These are doubtless the prisoners referred to by Maj. 
Bristor, then Captain of Company H, in the following 
account, after his first telling about the capture of a Rebel 
captain, a spy. 

(184) I was in command of the post at Kearneysville, 
Jefferson county, West Virginia, for about two months 
during the summer and fall of '63. While in command 
at that post a loyal citizen came to my headquarters about 
11 o'clock one night and informed me that the Rebel spy 
Capt. Anderson was at a farm house some three miles 
distant, and near Col. Porterfields house. I at once had 
sixteen of my men wake up, and called for two men to 
volunteer to go on a very hazardous expedition. To my 

56 



WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY 

surprise the entire sixteen volunteered to go. I was not 
very much surprised, however, for my men were always 
ready for duty when called upon. 

(185) I selected two of the youngest of the Six- 
teenth, whose names I believe were James P. Murphy 
and William Watkins, I then started these two men direct- 
ing them to follow the citizen to the house where Ander- 
son was, about a mile beyond our outer pickets. The 
men were told by their guide that he thought Anderson 
was in a certain room. The two brave young soldiers 
carefully and quietly worked their way into the room, up 
to the bed where Anderson was sleeping, and demanded 
his surrender, before he knew a Union soldier of a soul 
was near him. They forbade his speaking a word above 
a low whisper, at the risk of his life. They took him out 
of the house without ever waking the family, and brought 
him to my quarters about 3 o'clock in the morning. 

(180) When they awoke me I questioned the prisoner 
who was represented to me as a Rebel spy, and he 
claimed to be a private citizen from London county Vir- 
ginia, and said that he was coming the next day to give 
himself up. I asked him why he would give himself up 
if he was a private citizen. He replied that he had got a 
Yankee suit from a friend and he thought that he had 
better come and tell me about it for fear that he might 
be taken for a spy or something. 

( 187) But he was identified by citizens of that county 
(Jefferson) as a spy, whose name was Anderson. I 
sent him to Martinsburg, and turned him over to Col. 
McReynolds, who was then in command at that point. 
He sent him to Fort McHenry where he (Anderson) was 
tried, and, I have been informed hanged. 

(188) A few nights after this, one of the "Louisiana 
Tigers," who had been disbanded on account of their 
officers not being able to do anything with them, was 
strolling about through the country foraging and etc., and 
finally got caught in the dark, and when at a house near 

57 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

that of Col. Porterfield, in which neighborhood Maj. 
Gilmore was camped, he inquired the way to his camp. 
The lady being a Union woman, directed him right 
towards my camp. He came to my outerpickets, and 
one of them came into camp with him talking all the time 
as if he, the picket, was a Rebel. A corporal by the name 
of A. H. Hull, brought him in. 

(189) As soon as the Rebel came to my quarters, 
everything being rather gloomy and dark, he thought he 
knew my voice, calling me Captain, taking me for a 
Rebel captain. I talked to him and asked him if he had 
not been lost, and he said he had and impressed his 
delight in getting back to camp, for he wanted to go the 
next night on that expedition to blow up Back Creek 
bridge "and send a lot of Yankees to hell," expecting by 
blowing up the bridge to cause the Baltimore and Ohio 
railroad train to pitch headlong into the creek, as it 
thundered along, with all on board unconscious of their 
danger, and thus cause great loss of life. I told him that 
I would see that he should go. 

(190) This Rebel was somewhat intoxicated and gave 
the whole thing away. Just as I finished telling him that 
he should go along with the party, the 4 o'clock train 
from the east blew its whistle. The prisoner laughed, 
and said he knew he was in the hands of the Yankees, 
but thought he would see how much he could fool them 
or draw them on. I said, "all right my good fellow you 
have drawn us on and we shall draw Maj. Gilmore on." 

(191) He told me during the conversation that Gil- 
more was to take thirty men and he was to be one of 
them and blow up Back Creek bridge. I placed him 
under close guard, and soon as daylight came I sent a 
message to Col. McReynolds giving him all the essential 
details of the foregoing account, and asked him to send 
a detachmen of men sufficient to capture Gilmore's men ; 
requesting him also to send an officer of the Twelfth 
West Virginia regiment in charge of the detachment; 

58 



WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY 

and if my memory serves me rightly, he sent Capt. Mof- 
fatt, of Company G. 

(192) Our men got to the bridge about two hours 
before Gilmore's band came and were secreted or in 
ambush, when they arrived and began to drill holes in 
the abutments of the bridge. At this our men hollowered 
out, "What are you doing there, you Rebel sons of 

b h's?" They surrendered to our men. The captures 

were four lieutenants, twenty-five men, and thirty-one 
horses. Major Gilmore it seems, had stayed at a neigh- 
boring house to get something to eat, and his orderly or 
adjutant was there also. So we captured all that were 
at the bridge. Lieut. Billings of Shepherdstown, W. Va., 
was one of the prisoners. 

(193) The First New York Cavalry reported this 
capture, and their regiment got the credit of it, when not 
a man of that organization, except one, who went along 
as a messenger or orderly, was in the party making the 
capture. 

(194) During the latter part of September going back 
a little, the Eighty-Seventh Pennsylvania, the One 
Hundred and Twenty-Second and the One Hundred and 
Twenty-Third Ohio regiments, at this point, were ordered 
to join the Army of the Potomac. The Eighth-Seventh 
had been in the same command with the Twelfth for 
about a year. There had always been a friendly feeling 
between the two regiments, so the night before the former 
left for the Army of the Potomac, some of the boys 
from it came over to bid our boys good-bye — and it was 
good-bve forever for some in either command. 

(195) The election for governor of Ohio was soon to 
take place, and the Eighty-Seventh boys having learned 
that a considerable number of the above named Ohio 
troops, say a tenth, were going to vote for Valandigham 
for governor, were not at all pleased that they should 
do so. One of the Eighty-Seventh apparently having 
been indulging in a little strong drink, was especially 

59 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

vehement against those Ohio boys so disposed to vote. 
He threatened what the boys of his regiment would do 
in case they were to remain here, and those Ohio boys 
should so vote, not knowing that the Ohio troops alluded 
to were, as well as his own regiment ordered to the Army 
of the Potomac. He urged our boys to use violent means 
against any of the Ohio boys at this point, who should 
vote for Valandigham for governor. This hostility toward 
those disposed to vote for him, was because of his politi- 
cal cause with respect to the war and its prosecution. 

(196). Our boys by this time had become substantially 
a unit in sentiment so far as the political war policy of 
the administration was concerned. All wrangling con- 
cerning it had ceased. And right here may be given a 
strikingly significant and truthful observation, made 
perhaps not far from this time, by Lieut. Blaney, of Com- 
pany D, showing the rapid evolution of ideas, the swift 
progress and revolution of the sentiment of the time and 
more especially the potent virtue of the knock down 
argument, to which class of dispution, war preeminently 
belongs. Because of the justice, truth and significance 
of this remark, it should not be omitted from this record, 
imperfect though it must necessarily be. 

(197) In conversation Lieut. Blaney observed: "I 
have noticed that our boys have never objected to the 
Emancipation proclamation since being in a battle." This 
remark was true, it is believed, without an exception. 

(198) If the war had never come these soldiers many 
of them, would doubtless never have been convinced of 
the justifiableness of emancipation in that contingency. 
But being brought into battle, and thus required to do as 
best they might, what they could do to settle the issues 
involved by the knock down argument in its last and dire 
extremity — the employment of the bludgeon of war ; and 
seeing their comrades falling around them, light quickly 
struck in on their minds with a telling force. The con- 
version was as sudden it seems, as that of Paul spoken 

60 



WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY 

of in the scriptures. They suddenly saw, in this death 
struggle, that anything that the enemy was opposed to; 
that whatever would tend to weaken or cripple him ; that 
any means justified by civilized warfare to conquer the 
enemy they should favor and employ; and hence the 
prejudice, the tradition and the education of years were 
swept away as if by a flash of lightning, when the ordeal 
of battle came. There was no longer on the part of the 
boys any considerate regard for the interests of the 
enemy, nor any further objection to the emancipation of 
the negroes. 

(199) Another incident of the war illustrating how 
fast men learned during the war, may as well as not be 
given here, although it occurred at a later period. Adjt. 
G. B. Caldwell, in a conversation one day regarding the 
employment of negroes as soldiers said : "When I went 
into the service at first I thought that it would be a 
humiliation and disgrace to me if I had to serve in an 
army where negro soldiers were employed;" but now, 
said he, "I have come to the conclusion that they have as 
good right to be killed as I." 

(200) It is very probable that Adjt. Caldwell might 
have spent all his days, if the times had been peaceful, 
without ever having changed his views in regard to the 
matter of making soldiers of negroes, although he is a 
man of quick perception. But just as it is said of men 
in a drowning condition that all the events of their past 
lives come quickly before them ; so in time of war and 
the peril of battle, mens minds are quickened, common- 
sense asserts itself and men perceive quickly the wisdom 
or unwisdom of that which in the piping times of peace, 
they would not see at all. 

(201) On September 28th, we were paid two months' 
pay, this being $13 per month for the privates, or $26 
for the two months. This was always a welcome event 
with the soldiers. They had money now to spend with 
the sutler ; but their money did not go far in buying from 

61 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

him. Canned peaches were, if not just at this time, later 
in the war $1.25 and tomatoes $1.00 per can. 

(202) While we were here at Martinsburg, the boys 
or many of them, who were taken as prisoners at Win- 
chester, a few months before, were returned to the regi- 
ment, being ordered by the government to take up arms 
again, although they had been let out of prison only on 
parole, and not exchanged. This action was taken by 
the authorities at Washington in retaliation for the con- 
duct of the Rebel authorities in putting the prisoners taken 
and paroled by Gen. Grant at Vicksburg, back into the 
field again, without their having been exchanged. 

(203) While the boys of the Twelfth, who were 
captured at Winchester, were held as prisoners they were 
kept at Richmond, Va., and although they were not held 
long until they were paroled, their experience of prison 
life was not such as to invite another trial of it. In the 
language of the west they had "got all they wanted of 
it." Before any of our boys had ever been prisoners, 
some of them used sometimes to threaten, when it was 
difficult to get furloughs, that they would, when a chance 
offered allow themselves to be taken prisoners, expecting 
in that case to be soon paroled and then sent home from 
the camp, as paroled prisoners on furlough. But after 
the prisoners returned to the regiment, having had a taste 
of prison life among the Rebels, and related its hardships 
to their comrades there was no longer any talk among 
the boys of allowing themselves to be captured in order 
that they might in that way get a furlough. 

(204) As before written Lieut. Bengough, of Com- 
pany F, was killed in the battle of Winchester on Sunday, 
June 14th, 1863. Shortly after this his widow in com- 
pany with another lady, went to Winchester to recover 
the body. The two women were arrested as spies. The 
interesting story of their capture and release, is thus 
related by the then Mrs. Beugaugh, now as then, living 

62 



WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY 

4* 

in Pittsburgh, leaving out her preliminary sketch of a trip 
from Fairmont, W. Va., to Pittsburgh in March, 1863 : 

TWO WOMEN OF THE WAR. 

(205) Some months later, I learned of the death of 
my husband, Lieut. J. T. Beugough, who was killed 
during the three days fight at Winchester. F. P. Piei - 
pont, Adjutant General of West Virginia, sent me a 
telegram to that effect and accompanied by my sister-in- 
law, Miss Celia Beugaugh, principal of the High School 
in Toledo and sister of the present pension agent at Pitts- 
burgh, Harry Beugaugh, left Pittsburg for Winchester to 
recover the body. My late husband had been a lieutenant 
under Gen. Milroy and during the battle the firing having 
ceased in his direction, being tired, he with his command 
lay down to rest; as he slept he was killed by a sharp- 
shooter. 

(206) Arriving at the headquarters of Gen. Mulligan 
on New Creek, Va., we were assigned quarters in a big 
building, which we subsequently discovered was occupied 
as a barracks by the soldiers, and we awoke during the 
night to find the room filled with men. Celia was greatly 
excited, but I calmed her fears and tucking our heads 
under the quilt we weathered the storm until the soldiers 
filed out in the morning. Mulligan furnished us with a 
pass into the rebel lines, and assured us he had personal 
friends among the Confederates, who would see that we 
were properly treated. 

(207) After walking a few miles night overtook us, 
and we put up at a house, the proprietor of which agreed 
to take us to Winchester for $20. In the morning we 
got into a buggy, I drove the horse he following on horse 
back to bring back the rig. It was a long hot ride, and 
with nothing to eat but cherries we were almost starved. 
Our escort would not approach the town nearer than three 
miles, he was afraid of losing his horses, so we footed it. 

63 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

•» 

(208) I had been in Winchester before, and boarded 
at a house opposite the government corral, and we 
thought if we could find the place, we might be accomo- 
dated for the night. But alas, for human hopes, and 
happiness, we discovered there were many roads leading 
into Winchester ; that we had lost our bearings and were 
at sea. What should we do ? We dare not make inquiry, 
and it being about 7 o'clock in the evening we had to 
conclude quickly. Entering the town we found it full of 
rebel soldiers. They paid no attention to us, so we wan- 
dered about for some time without success. Finally we 
met a boy about 10 years old, and asked him the name 
of the street on which the corral was situated, "Where 
<he Yanks used to keep their horses?" he interrogated, 
"Oh, that's away up yander" and pointing with his index 
finger out into the right he showed us the way. We were 
a long time finding the place, and when we did, how 
changed ; the corral was tenantless, and the house we 
expected to lodge in presented a deserted appearance. 
With fear and trembling we knocked at the door and were 
admitted. 

(209) The lady knew me, but was uncommunicative. 
She gave us lodging and a supper and breakfast of salt 
junk, for which we paid a fancy price. In the morning 
we pursued our mission. We found our way to the head- 
quarters of Gen. R. E. Lee, who gave us a pass to the 
fortifications for the purpose of disinterring the body, and 
one to the hospital for a squad of our prisoners to rebury 
it in the cemetery. The General told us the body could 
not be shipped, as the railroad between Winchester and 
Martinsburg had been torn up. 

(210) Having obtained the passes (which I still have 
in my possession) the General required us to report at his 
headquarters after our work had been accomplished — 
disobedience in this respect caused us much suffering and 
imprisonment in Castle Thunder, Richmond. 

(211) We buried the body in the cemetery and went 

("4 



WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY 

to our boarding house. It was evening and a sad one 
for us ; our hostess had changed considerably since morn- 
ing — she refused us anything to eat, saying there was 
nothing in the house. We had money, but were afraid to 
go out to purchase, so in lieu of anything better, we went 
outside and sat on the doorstep. We sat there for some 
time, when we observed a man across the street, close 
to the corral, dressed in surgeon's uniform. We thought 
he tried to arrest our attention, but were afraid to 
encourage him ; he disappeared for a time around the 
corner, and as suddenly appeared this time on our side 
of the street and passing close, dropped a note, which we 
read in our room, by a light of a rag burning in a saucer 
of grease. He stated in the note that he was Lieut. 
McAdams of a Pennsylvania regiment, the number of 
which I cannot recall, that he was a prisoner, but not a 
surgeon, having borrowed the uniform in order to serve 
us ; we were prisoners and would be treated as spies. "I 
will bring you tea and hard-tack from the hospital about 
9 o'clock tonight." He kept his promise dropping the 
tea and crackers as he had the note. We never saw nor 
heard of McAdams since. He was a man between 30 
and 35 years of age, heavy set, with sandy hair. 

(212) Between 12 and 1 o'clock that night, we stole 
out of the house, climbed the back fence and made for 
the Romney Road. It has been said we should always 
hope for the best, and at the same time be prepared for 
whatever presents itself. When we found ourselves out 
in the open country terror seized us and brought us to 
a realization of the situation. The chill of the night, 
caused us to shiver, so we quickened our steps in the 
direction of the hill and the fort. 

(213) We could see over the misty landscape, the Con- 
federate flag floating proudly from its battlements. We 
knew the Romney Road lay back of the fort, so we 
climbed the hill, which was littered with the bodies of 
horses, mules, cannon balls and unexploded shells which 

65 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

had fallen on the soft hill side and lay in pockets made 
by the feet of the artillery horses in drawing Early's 
guns into position. 

(214) The haze subsided and one constellation after 
another appeared — that bright luminary, the moon, 
waded her way through now and then gliding behind a 
cloud, leaving the stars on duty, there appearing with 
new lustre, covered the battle field with a silver sheet. 
All nature seemed to be opened to our eyes, and in har- 
mony with the surroundings. The night was painfully 
quiet the only audible sound we heard, was the lullaby 
sung by a little stream that meandered down the hill — 
the night birds were silent, and we fancied we could hear 
the dripping of the dew. We seemed to wander in a 
charmed atmosphere, and would not have been surprised 
if Mab and her Peri's had come forth. 

(215) A little to the left stood the guns like so many 
sentinels with their yawning black mouths — we intended 
to pass them but tfrey looked so devilish that we were 
afraid and took the longest route to avoid them. We 
passed the fort and descended the hill, often looking back 
to see if the guns were following. The moon neared 
the shore of the sky; the shadows deepened and Celia 
declared the trees were walking, she being a good elocu- 
tionist declaimed — "Night showeth knowledge unto night. 
There is no speech nor language, their voice is not heard ; 
yet their sound goeth forth to all generations." 

(216) We sat down and huddled close together — we 
fancied a mythical presence and thought we saw forms 
coming out of the recesses of the mountains. The wind 
stirred the dying embers of distant camp fires into flame, 
and a lurid glare lit the heavens like a flash, and then all 
was dark. It was near morning and the soft faint streaks 
of daylight glimmered through the right. We arose and 
drew near the base of the hill — in the distance we could 
see the long, narrow but extremely picturesque Romney 
road, with its widely scattered, antiquated houses. We 

66 



WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY 

sat down behind a clump of bushes, and almost scared 
the lives out of a flock of birds — they flew out in the 
myriads, circling our heads in mingled confusion, chat- 
tering wildly, but soon flew away leaving us in possession 
of the field. 

(217) As the day advanced, the sun rose penetrated 
the mist, dried our dewy clothes, and evoked from the 
flowers their morning fragrance; we strolled about 
gathering bunches of white and purple larkspur — as we 
culled we neared the road. We were on the lookout for 
pickets, when a rifle shot rang out clear and sharp, fol- 
lowed by other shots in quick succession ; as they 
ricocheted in and out of the mountain passes, rever- 
berated over the hills and through the valleys, we thought 
a whole regiment was firing. Then we heard the shrill 
but musical nots of the bugle, and knew there was infantry 
and cavalry at a distance. 

(218) We retraced our steps following a cow-path 
that wound round the hill, thinking to gain the road 
indirectly, but were mistaken, and taking a more direct 
route, found ourselves in the presence of three pickets, 
playing cards. We were not much surprised as they 
had been uppermost in our minds for we had wandered 
the hill all night to avoid them. With renewed courage, 
bonnets swinging on our aims and carrying our posies, we 
passed by acting as unconcerned as possible. We were 
not interrupted — at least we were on the Romney Road. 

(219) We walked about five miles and being hungry 
approached a white house enclosed within an open fence 
with a long line of trees in front, loadened with blood- 
red cherries. This was the home of Betty Jenkins, a 
pleasant faced motherly woman of about 40 years. She 
welcomed us, and we examined a large wheel ,that stood 
in front of the mantel, with a hank of white yarn around 
it, there was a smaller one in the corner, which was 
used for spinning. These wheels were a novelty to us, 

67 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

and we exhibited so much ignorance as to their use, 
that Betty became suspicious. 

(220) When we told her we northern women, she 
was nearly frightened out of her wits and was afraid to 
give us any help. We told her we were almost starved ; 
she then told us to go up stairs to a retired room and 
she would find food. Betty managed to get us a good 
meal and we remained there that night. With the first 
glimmer of dawn we were on deck. Betty prepared 
breakfast, and we all three parted crying. 

(221) When we were at a distance from the house, 
we looked back, and there stood Betty, leaning over the 
gate, shading her eyes with her hand waving farewell. 
Dear, friendly Betty, we never heard of her again. The 
beauty of the morning raised our spirits, the fresh and 
invigorating air gave us strength. The sun rose in all 
his majesty and gilded the mountain ranges. In the 
distance we saw glittering water walled around by hills. 
The scenery was surpassing in grandeur and sublimity. 
The trees were full of buds, and their liquid notes filled 
the air; spotted lizards and little squirrels ran along 
the fence rails ; brown rabbits scurried across the 
meadows; the partridge called "Bob White;" and the 
perfume of the honey-suckle scented the air. The fields 
were covered with wild flowers, tall red poke-berry stalks 
ornamnted the fence corners, and berry bushes were 
white with blossom. The ravines were covered with dark 
velvety moss, and silver streams of murmuring water ran 
zig-zag through clumps of willows. 

(222) We had walked about 12 miles, when we met 
a man riding on a big bay horse, lank and lean, with a 
bulged out pair of saddle bags — he seemed friendly but 
we paid no attention. As we rounded a bend in the 
road we heard dogs barking at no great distance, and 
knew we were near a farm house. The house was situated 
below the level of the road, with a running stream in 
front, the bosom of which was covered with ducks, 

68 



WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY 

geese and goslings. We descended the long stairway- 
leading down from the pike, and entered the house. There 
we found a very old man and a tall woman, the latter 
playing deaf and dumb, afraid to say anything to 
strangers. We asked for food ; the old man brought 
out a piece of table linen, in which he tied up meat, 
bread and cheese. Our Evangelist carried the bundle 
to the top of the steps, and told us how far and what way 
we must go before we would meet Mulligan's scouts. 

(224) Turning off the road we sat on a log and ate 
ravenously. Resuming our journey we found our 
commisary stores a burden and threw them away. The 
heat was oppressive and the dust suffocating, so we 
turned off the high way and sought the cool forest, 
but we were afraid of snakes and the sharp twigs cut 
our blistered and swollen feet. We tried to wear our 
shoes but could not. We clambered over rocks, logs 
and low thick brush, which made it tiresome, and again 
were forced to take the high way. We limped pain- 
fully while we tramped, ankle deep in dust, under a 
burning sun. 

(225) We waded the north and south branches of the 
Potomac. The water was low but transparent, and the 
river bed stony. We amused ourselves, while laving 
our blistered feet, gathering beautiful stones of many 
colors, which we afterwards threw away — they grew 
burdensome. Twice we came to where roads or paths 
converged, and were at a loss to know which one to 
take, but Celia, remembered the scriptural injunction that 
the straight path was the right path — therefore we turned 
neither to the right nor to the left. 

(226) We saw a house in the distance and a few 
matronly cows and sheep in a field, whose acquaintance 
we tried to make, but they would have none of it. and 
throwing their tails in the air ran off bellowing — the 
poor frightened sheep scattered and hid in the bushes. 
We entered the house and found an old man plaiting a 



69 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

straw hat and a woman making cherry pies. They had 
little to say, but gave us milk and pie. The pie had 
neither shortening nor sugar — the top crust was burned 
while the bottom was dough. We drank the milk and 
went on. 

(227) About 3 o'clock we encountered a heavy rain 
storm, accompanied with thunder and vivid lightning, 
and were wet through, but fortunately the storm did 
not continue long and the sun coming out in all his heat, 
soon dried our clothes. We were, now about 18 miles 
from Winchester, four miles from the Cacapon bridge " 
and nine miles from Mulligan. We hobbled along as 
best we could for about two miles, when we came to a 
house on the roadside, enclosed by a dilapidated fence. 
A pump and wooden drinking trough stood in front, but 
there was no appearance of horses having quenched 
their thirst at the trough for some time, the ground being 
unbroken around it. A clucking hen strutted noisily 
about, and a tribe of guineas set up a fearful cry of 
alarm, as we approached. A man and woman were 
hanging over the garden gate quietly chatting, but as 
soon as they saw us, they seemed alarmed, particularly 
the woman. She eyed us carefully and impudently 
whispering something to her companion. We noticed 
the agitation and felt uneasy. 

(228) We had walked about 20 miles but the meander- 
ings of the road added a greater distance. It was late 
in the day, and the absence of cattle and fowl noticeable. 
We anticipated trouble and shied into the woods. We 
did not make much headway on account of the dense 
growth of trees, but we persevered and at last came to 
the Cacapon water. We made a detour and found a 
tree fallen across the stream. It was high from the 
water and Celia could not cross it. I coaxed and 
entreated, but all to no purpose. The river was full of 
water snakes and the banks lined with villainous looking 
frogs. We found fault with each other, and Celia 

70 



WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY 

resisting my entreaties, blamed me for the escapade, and 
she quoted scripture to fit the crime, for she was full of 
texts — "He that cometh not in by the door, but climeth 
up some other way, the same is a thief, and robber." I 
saw the point and we laughed and crossed the bridge. 

(229) We were 22 miles from Winchester, and five 
miles from Mulligan scouts. We had proceeded about 
50 yards on the other side of the bridge, when we 
were halted by a handsome young cavalry officer, Lieut. 
Bell, nephew of Gen. Bell of the C. S. A. He touched 
his cap and accosted us — "Good evening ladies, have you 
got a pass?" Travel-stained foot-sore, faces blistered, 
hungry and utterly wretched, we hung our heads, but 
gave no answer — we were too miserable. 

(230) The daylight faded slowly, the night grew 
chilly and the wind stirred the bending grass. The setting 
sun shot slanting spikes from the golden west, through 
the trees and across the road. The cavalry horse stood 
at a distance pawing the dust, and clanking his equip- 
ments, every now and then lifting his head with a majes- 
tic air, looked toward his rider, who stood with bowed 
head rubbing the buttons up and down with his fingers, 
which adorned the front of his cavalry jacket. It was 
June — the sun had set the shadows deepened, and the 
katy-dids had almost ceased their rasping. 

(231 ) There we three stood, in the gloom of approach- 
ing night, with no sound to break the silence, except 
the lonely quavering notes of the forest birds. Bats 
flitted to and fro and circled our heads — the owl hooted, 
and fire flies lit the ravines. We buried our feet in the 
dust that he might not see their nakedness, and with 
heart-rending sobs, cried as we -had never cried before. 
We were captured and we knew that meant on to 
Richmond. 

(232) Lieut Bell told us we had been arrested as spies 
by order of Gen. R. E. Lee. We begged we should not 
be made walk back, for we thought we would have to 

7.1 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

tramp the whole road over again. He assured us such 
would not be the case, that he would take us to a house 
in the woods, owned by a Mrs. Smith, where Miss Bell, 
his sister, would search us. Having walked about half 
a mile, we came to a defile in the mountains, which rose 
very high on either side, with an opening at the ' top 
large enough to see a patch of sky, studded with misty 
stars. Our captor told us these mountains were covered 
with perpetual snow and ice. In this gap lived Mrs. 
Smith, with whom we were to remain for the night. 

(233) The house was two storied, painted white, and 
backed close to the mountain. The windows were vine 
covered and here and there a glimmer of light shone 
through making the green look greener. Opposite the 
house and on the other side of the gap, close to what 
had once been a barn, stood a lot unsheltered wagons, 
buggies and stage coaches in a dilapidated condition. 

(234) At the sound of approaching foot steps Mrs. 
Smith appeared in the door, with a grease-saucer light, 
and behind her an old aunty, with her head bound up 
in a yellow bandana. Dinah was greatly agitated when 
she saw us approach in the shadows, and throwing up 
her hands exclaimed. "Fo de lord, misses, cley is de 
Yanks !" We knew my aunties remarks, we had been 
anticipated. 

(235) Mrs. Smith was a neat little dark-eyed woman, 
with hair and complexion to match her eyes. She wore 
a gray flannel dress of her own weaving, cotton material 
being out of the question. She was greatly impoverished, 
and told us her husband used to run a line of stages, 
but the Yanks had taken their horses — there was not a 
man about the place, they were in the Confederate Army ; 
that auntie and she had rolled the snow into big balls 
during the winter, and dumped them into the ice house — 
that ice water was the only luxury she had. We drank 
some of it and were refreshed. After supper we were 
assigned to a comfortable room, with a good bed in it, 

72 



WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY 

of which we stood in need. In the morning we were 
furnished with water and other necessary toilet articles. 
After making ourselves presentable we wet a lot of 
letters in the basin and rubbed them into pulp, that they 
might not be found in our possession, when Miss Bell 
would search us — we mixed the pulp with wood ashes 
on the hearth, until all trace was obliterated. We were 
searched, but nothing was found upon our person. We 
got the letters from wounded Union soldiers in the Win- 
chester hospital. 

(236) Next morning after breakfast Lieut. Bell and 
a lot of troopers, made their appearance with a squeaky 
wagon, drawn by two half-starved mules. He apologized 
for the conveyance, saying nothing better could be had. 
After bidding good-bye to Mrs. Smith and Dinah we 
got into the wagon and were soon on our way back to 
Winchester. We had not proceeded far, when a wheel 
slid off, almost throwing us out of the wagon. Our 
driver with a hickory linck pin and some assistance 
repaired the damage. We traveled all day and at night 
put up at an inn, where the roads divided in different 
tracks. 

(237) Our cavalry picketed their horses in a field 
nearby, that they might eat grass, there being neither oats 
nor hay to give them. Our guard told us their horses 
were starving and had already become too weak for 
effective duty. 

(238) After supper we were given a comfortable 
room furnished with an old-fashioned bed, decorated 
with high-colored hangings ; a picture of Washington 
relieved the wall ; three chairs, a rocker and a dragon- 
legged table completed the furnishment. A purple 
wistaria covered the window and climbed to the roof. 
Our guard slept on the soft side of the porch, first 
exacting a promise from us that we would not try to 
escape. We promised, and being as tired as they, slept 
the sleep of youth. 

73 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

(239) In the morning, furnished with conveniences, 
we made our toilet, while our gallant cavalrymen made 
theirs at the horse trough. After a scanty meal of 
corn bred, rye coffee and sorghum molasses, the lady of 
the house announced all was in readiness for our 
departure. She bade us a friendly good-bye and we took 
the road again. We traveled slowly, and as we neared 
Winchester we found fence, bush, and tree limbs orna- 
mented with old clothes, which had been taken from the 
battle field and dyed butter-nut. The scenery was not 
improved by the accession. Finally we reached Win- 
chester and Gen. Lee's headquarters. The General was 
not in, but the room was filled with officers of all grades 
and rank. Uninvited we seated ourselves and listened to 
a tirade from Maj. Bridgeford on spies in particular and 
Yankee women in general. We were too miserable to 
reply. Celia reminded me that we were in the hands 
of the Philistines, and might as well hang our harps on 
the willows, for how could we sing in that strange land. 

(240) We waited an hour or more, when we heard 
the clatter of horses hoofs outside, a dismount and Gen. 
Lee entered, tall, graceful, refined and haughty. Touch- 
ing his cap and bidding us "good morning" he repri- 
manded us for our disobedience, ending with the an- 
nouncement that we must go to prison. Major Bridge- 
ford made out the necessary papers, Gen. Lee signed 
them, and then, on to Richmond, guarded by cavalry. 

(241) We passed a hapless night and in the morning 
took the stage for Staunton, Va. We traveled up the 
Shenandoah Valley and saw Gen. Lee's whole army, as 
they marched down the Shenandoah, and on to Gettys- 
burg. 

(242) When we got hungry, our guard picked cherries 
for us, and begged slap-jacks and bonny-clabber from the 
surrounding farm houses, some of which we exchanged 
with a wounded rebel, riding on the top of the coach, for 
maple molasses. 

74 



WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY 

(243) When we came to Mount Jackson, the coach 
stopped at a tavern, kept by a brother of the man, who 
shot Col. Ellsworth. It was a beautiful spot. The inn 
was old but picturesque, and built on a little rise. A 
couple of wide-spreading trees espaliered across its front. 
At the side of the house, a row of oleanders contracted 
their bloom with the green of the foliage, and a cy-press 
vine, trained on strings, covered the windows. A 
gourd vine clambered up and over the wood shed, almost 
concealing the door, and compelling, Julius, himself to 
double himself when he went in and out for wood. Our 
host was a long-jawed, dark-skinned man, and had little 
to say, but his wife made up for the deficiency. She flew 
at us in a rage, called us names and likened us to a lot 
of thieving Yankee soldiers, who she said, had stolen her 
chickens and robbed her onion bed. She refused us 
anything to eat, and said we should not sleep in her 
house that night. We made no answer, allowing her 
to have her way. We went out into the orchard and 
sat on a bench under an apple tree, where a robin perched 
on the top-most limb cheered us with his sweetest 
evening song. 

(244) A genuine suothern mammy with her kinky 
hair, plaited and tied in wads and knots, stood over a 
big iron kettle stirring soap. She looked askance at us, 
not daring to speak, but we knew by her actions that we 
had her sympathy. Having sat there about an hour, Mrs. 
Jackson remorseful and relenting asked us in to supper. 

(245) When bed time came we were given a large 
square room (with a bare floor) lighted with a tallow dip. 
A low post bed, two chairs and a looking glass com- 
pleted the furnishment, with the exception of two pictures, 
lacking resemblence to anything we ever saw, hung upon 
the whitewashed walls. In the morning we breakfasted 
and then set out for Staunton. It was a lovely day, the 
blossoms of summer and green of the foliage were very 
attractive. The beauty fo the valley was beyond descrip- 

75 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

tion, with its silvery pools and trickling streams, moss 
covered rocks and hedges of wild roses. The song birds 
whistled and thrilled, and the unceasing notes of the 
insect tribes filled the woods. 

(246) At Staunton we were comfortably housed, but 
had nothing to eat. We should have gone supperless to 
bed, but for the shrewdness of a colored chambermaid 
who, under pretense of making the bed, got into our 
room, and without a sign of recognition began to beat 
the pillows, spread the quilts and make a fuss generally. 
She attracted our attention by the unusual length of time 
it took her to perform the work. She gave us a significant 
look and passed out. 

(247) The guard who paced up and down the hall 
way looked in to see if all was right, locked the door and 
we were alone for the night. We examimned the bed and 
found about a dozen biscuits under the quilts and pillows, 
and a quart bucket full of tea under the bed. 

(248) In the morning we informed our guard of the 
inhospitable treatment, and he sent the provost marshal 
to look after us. He immediately ordered the hotel 
keeper to bring us down to the table, which he did, but he 
took revenge by putting us at a little table in the centre 
of the dinning room making us the cynosure of all eyes. 
When we had eaten Celia wrote with a piece of crayon, 
"Yankee Table" on our table, which was considered 
audacious by the regular boarders. 

(249) Before leaving the hotel, we gave the chamber- 
maid, who had befriended us, a $1 greenback, the ribbon 
off our hat and a pair of gloves. We traveled by rail 
from Staunton to Richmond. When the train stopped at 
different stations, we were almost suffocated by the 
crowd that scrambled up the sides of the car and poked 
their heads through the windows to see what Yankee 
women looked like. 

(250) When we arrived at Richmond, we were 
obliged to walk some distance from the station to Castle 

7G 



WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY 

Thunder, being followed by the curious of both sexes. We 
were taken into the Provost Marshal's office where we 
found the prison authorities selecting nine captains to be 
hung, in case the Federal government hanged Fitzhugh 
Lee. Capt. Rowand of the Virginia cavalry was one of 
them. The Captain came down with us, and when we 
entered the Provost Marshal's office, he was greeted by 
Maj. Turner of Libby prison, with the cheering an- 
nouncement, "Well Captain you are just in time to draw 
your death out." Whether he drew it or not, we do not 
know, for we were marched out into a tunnel-like passage 
and up a rickety pair of stairs into a cell, 12 by 15 feet, 
with no furnishment. There was one window of many 
small panes, with a large sill, which we used for a 
seat. 

(251) Maj. Alexander, commander of the prison, 
frequently cautioned us to keep our heads inside the 
window for fear we might be shot. There were other 
women prisoners in the Castle, but they were waiting to 
be sent through on the next truce boat, there being no 
charges against them. Among them was Mrs. Surgeon 
McCandless, of Morgantown, W. Va. 

(252) We were searched by an old white headed man, 
whom the prisoners called "Anti-Christ ;" he did not 
take our money some $75 or $80. We afterwards heard 
the old man was hung with the Wirtz gang. 

(253) An order came from the Confederate authori- 
ties to send the other women home. Major Alexander 
told them to be ready to leave early next morning at the 
same time asking for the Bengough women. We answered 
to our names, when he informed us we were held as 
spies and would be forwarded to some place in South 
Carolina, for safe keeping. We cried bitterly when the 
other women left. 

( 25 1) Towards evening the Major bettered our con- 
dition ; he sent us a mattress, pillows and covering, and 
two colored women to wait upon us. We slept little that 

77 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

night, feeling horribly alone. The moonlight flooded the 
room ; we got up and looked out over the James river ; we 
wondered what our friends were doing at home, if they 
thought of us, and if we should ever see them again. 
We asked permission to burn the gas all night, and it was 
granted. Then the lapse of time had its effect, and we 
adjusted our lives to suit the situation. 

(255) The food we got was not nourishing. It con- 
sisted of bread and coffee made of porched rye. We paid 
$14 in green backs for a pound of tea. It was poor in 
quality, but we preferred it to the rye. 

(256) A Chaplain visited us every day, and always 
left Bibles. We asked him if he could not find some 
other literature; in a few days he returned bringing a 
beautifully illustrated volume of "Dno Quixote." He 
must have given us up for lost souls for he never came 
again. We read the book over and over — criticized it 
and quarreled over the criticisms. 

(257) One day we saw a long line of rebel soldiers 
driving a large drove of cattle along Cary street; each 
soldier had a hoop-skirt about his neck, and everything 
conceivable in shoes, dry goods, and notions tied to each 
hoop. Then we learned the battle of Gettysburg had been 
fought, and the captured cattle belonged to Pennsylvania. 
After that our fare was varied with fresh beef — once we 
got a dried apple pie, baked without shortening, on a 
saucer, but it tasted better than any pie we had ever eaten 
before or since. 

(258) Shortly after the hoop-skirt brigade had passed, 
about 1,000 Yankee prisoners were marched up the same 
street and housed in an old building opposite Castle 
Thunder. They were given meat and bread. One of 
the men after eating his meat threw the bone out on 
the pavement, the guard instantly fired into the crowd, 
taking the arm off a fine looking man, without provoca- 
tion. We saw him carried to the hospital on a stretcher, 
the blood streaming through canvas on to the pave- 

78 



WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY 

ment. John Brown, of Allegheny, present post com- 
mander of 128, was among that crowd of prisoners. 

(259) We received frequent visits from people of note. 
Our greenbacks were borrowed to show to Jeff Davis, 
Gov. Wise, Judah P. Benjamin and Maj. Turner — they 
were promptly returned. 

(260) One day Maj. Alexander told us he had been 
ordered to go on active duty. He was a sea captain and 
had been put in charge of the prison on account of having 
and his leg broken. When the war broke out the Major 
run a cargo of ammunition into a rebel post, instead of 
turning it over to Uncle Sam. He was imprisoned for 
it in Fort Lafayette, where he broke his leg by jumping 
from aport hole ; he finally got into the Confederate lines 
and was placed in command of Castle Thunder. The 
Major told us there was to be a clearance of prisoners 
and said, "I should like to have you both put on the 
exchange list, Gen. Winder, called "Hog" Winder by the 
prisoners, gives a feast tonight, and before the festivities 
are over he will be in a very moist condition. Now, if 
we can give him the exchange list at this juncture, he 
will sign it without reading and you shall be ready for 
the truce boat in the morning." The scheme was a suc- 
cess, and we slept none that night. About 2 o'clock 
in the morning 1,000 of our prisoners were marched 
from Libby en route for City Point and halted in front 
of the Castle. While they stood there Lotta Gilmore, a 
southern girl, imprisoned in Castle Thunder, sang the 
"Moon Behind the Hill," and was answered by one of 
the prisoners in line who sang, "When This Cruel War 
Is Over." We encored the minstrel, and asked what 
name and regiment. He called out "Massachusetts," 
and we replied "Pennsylvania," and immediately re- 
ceived three rousing cheers. 

(201) Lotta Gilmore was imprisoned because her 
lover had counterfeited Confederate currency — he had 



79 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

shown the money to her, but she refused to testify against 
him, and was imprisoned for contempt of court. 

(262) Bell Boyd, of rebel spy fame, visited the prison 
dressed in male attire, and was introduced as Lieut. 
Warry. 

(2G3) There was a Col. Dunham of some New York 
regiment, imprisoned opposite to our cell, but at a dis- 
tance. We could see him through the chinks in the board 
partition. We sent him a note written on one of the fly 
leaves of ''Don Quixote," and gave Washington, the 
colored hunch-back one dollar to deliver it; he rolled 
it in his shirt sleeve, and when he swept Dunham's cell, 
gave it to him. Dunham left Richmond the same morn- 
ing we did. 

(264) About 3 o'clock in the morning Maj. Alexander 
made his appearance, we had not retired that night, and 
told us to make ready, as soon as possible to take the 
train for City Point. We made ourselves as presentable 
as our limited wardrobe would allow, but realized that 
we were laughing stocks. Celia's hat was faded and bat- 
tered and out of shape; mine had been gray, but now it 
was no color at all, and without a particle of trimming, 
having given the ribbon to the colored chambermaid at 
Staunton. Our shoes, bearing the name of "Schmertz 
Pittsburg" were down at the heel and out at the sides; 
our stockings minus feet, and our hands bare; we had 
traded our last pair of gloves for a piece of pie. Our 
faces resembled boiled lobster in color, never having 
recovered from the tramp along the Romney Road, nor 
the long ride up the Shenandoah. 

(265) The colored women brought us four fresh 
laundried skirts. We each took one giving the others 
to the women, and a $2 greenback apiece. We wrote 
good-bye to the Chaplain on the fly leaf of "Don 
Quixote," also thanked him for the book and the comfort 
it had given us. We inscribed a farewell stanza of our 
own composition, (Celia composing one half and I the 

80 



WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY 

other) in Major Alexander's log book, placing both books 
with care on the window sill— that seat we had so often 
sat upon and looked out on the James, in our loneliness. 
We bade the colored women an affectionate adieu, for 
they had comforted us to the best of their ability, and 
we were attached to them, then passed down the dark 
and gruesome rickety prison stairs, out into the culvert, 
and freedom. When the fresh morning air wafted over 
our faces, we staggered against the wall — we were 
dreadfully weak, but visions of home and friends gave 
us renewed strength and we soon revived. 

(206) Maj. Alexander escorted us to the train, bid- 
ding us god-bye, and gave us a letter to be delivered at 
City Point, where an exchange of prisoners took place. 
We embarked on a U. S. vessel, and sailed down the 
Chesapeake. We passed Hampton Roads, and Fortress 
Monroe and saw the masts of the sunken Cumberland, 
above the water, in Hampton Roads. 

267) We landed at Annapolis, stopping at a hotel there 
about a week, boarding being furnished us without price, 
and thence to Baltimore. 

(268) The morning after our arrival in that city, we 
started out to deliver Alexander's letter. We were in- 
structed ho.w to find the man ; given a description of him, 
and told to give him the letter and ask no questions. We 
were to remain in the place designated until we found 
a man answering the description in the middle store of 
a block on a certain street. We went to the place and 
paced back and forth through the store, asking no ques- 
tions ; finally when about to despair, we noticed a man 
answering the description in every respect, seated on a 
chair on the edge of the pavement, in front of the store. 
He was evidently a Hebrew. We delivered the letter 
and the man took it, read it attentively, changed color 
several times, but made no comment. He finally wrote 
a brief epistle and handed it to us and directed us to 
present it at a certain place. We did so and at the place 

81 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

were given transportation to Pittsburg. We stopped for 
refreshments at different places, and nowhere were we 
asked for money for services rendered. 

(269) We arrived at the Union depot in December, 
before Christmas, and reached home by a round-about 
route; we did not care to face the public in our city, as 
we were ashamed of our appearance. We sent no word 
that we were coming, but walked in unannounced. Father 
and mother were panic-stricken and could not believe 
their own eyes. Our friends and neighbors, for miles 
around came to see us and ask questions. The "fatted 
calf" was killed and a general rejoicing took place. We 
were the lionesses of the day. Once again in Pittsburg, 
I received work as a compositor at Haven's under James 
M. McEwen. 

(270) Two years after leaving Richmond, Alexander 
walked into Haven's care worn and penniless. He said 
he had been included in the sentence against Wirtz, but 
had escaped. I had a difficult time in getting Mr. 
McEwen to make peculiar promises, before I should intro- 
duce Alexander ; finally he promised, and the introduction 
took place. A look of astonishment overspread his face 
when he found out who his new acquaintance was, but 
they were "Masons" and Alexander was introduced, 
during his stay in Pittsburg, to other members of that 
order, and found means to get to England. In the mean- 
time amnesty being granted, he came back to the states, 
and resumed his former calling. 

LOTTIB BBUGOUGH M'CAFFRBY. 



82 



CHAPTER VI. 

(271) During our stay at Martinsburg up to October 
18th, there was little, if anything, of importance in a 
military way took place. We spent our time in doing 
picket duty, drilling and etc. On that day however, 
Imboden attacked the Ninth Maryland Infantry at 
Charleston, killing the Adjutant and capturing a consid- 
erable part of the command. 

(272) An attack was somewhat looked for at this point 
in this same day and Col. Pierce in command here, made 
every preparation to meet it, but none was made. In 
the evening our regiment and a battery were ordered to 
Harpers Ferry. We marched to Shepherdstown, about 
half way, and encamped for the night. We bivouacked 
on the streets of the town. A little incident occurred 
here showing the beauties of soldier life. One of the boys 
in lying down for the night, placed the strap of his haver- 
sack under his head, so that if anyone should try to steal 
his haversack, he would likely know it. In the night he 
was awakened by a jerk of something from under his 
head, and he found that his haversack was gone. It 
was a very dark night, and an object could be seen 
scarcely any distance; but he heard something rattling 
on the pavement. He followed this sound, and found that 
a hog was making an attempt to confiscate his rations, 
the rattling being made by the tin cup fastened to the 
haversack. By a vigorous charge on the enemy the 
rations were recovered and the soldier went back to 
renew his nap. It needs hardly be said that if there 

were any hogs in America that were d d hogs, that 

was one of them. 

(273) Shepherdstown, situated on the bank of the 
Potomac was at that time a dull, sleepy old town, the 
quietude of which was quite suggestive of the proverbial 
saying, "All quiet on the Potomac." This saying was 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

applicable to the place at that particular time ; though no 
doubt, it had been often awakened before, and was after- 
ward, from its wonted drowsiness by "the cannons' 
opening roar" being only three or four miles from the 
Antietarn battle ground, the center of a region of battle 
fields, and itself the scene of one or more fights. 

(274) We continued our march in the morning 
through rain and mud, and arrived at Harpers Ferry at 
3 o'clock P. M. We crossed the Potomac here on the 
railroad bridge and camped on Maryland Heights, 
which are close to the Potomac, not leaving but little 
more room than enough between its base and the river, 
for the canal and the Baltimore and Ohio railroad (which 
latter in going east crosses into Maryland from West 
Virginia at this point) to pass. 

(275) Just opposite these heights nearby, looking 
south on London Heights. The Shenandoah river on 
the southeast side of the valley skirts these latter heights 
and forms a junction with the Potomac at Harpers 
Ferry. The Potomac then flows on east through the defile 
between the two heights. The Maryland Heights com- 
mand, in a military sense, Harpers Ferry, which lies 
between the two rivers at their junction. From these 
heights is a fine view up the Valley for many miles. At 
this time there was a company of Massachusetts heavy 
artillery stationed on them. They had a siege gun planted 
there, throwing a hundred pound shell, pointing in the 
direction of Harpers Ferry, which was capable of shelling 
an enemy coming down the valley, and approaching the 
town anywhere within three miles of it. 

(270) These Massachusetts boys were true to the 
traditions and preferences of their section in thinking 
that a dish of baked beans was the very cream of good 
things. The following little incident illustrates this fact. 
It shows that they looked forward to the stated time 
when they should have their favorite dish with joyous 
anticipation : One day one of the Twelfth boys overheard 

84 



WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER [NFANTRY 

one of the artillery boys talking to a comrade. The 
talk had been of no especial interest to him, the one talk- 
ing, when suddenly a thought seemed to strike him, 
which aroused him to considerable enthusiasm. He said : 
"Let me see — this is Wednesday, tomorrow is Thursday, 
and the next day Friday, when, by gahge! we are going 
to have baked beans." 

(277) Gen. Sullivan commanded the troops here. We 
were brigaded with the Thirty- fourth Massachusetts. 
This regiment was under very strict regimental discipline. 
Each officers tent when in camp, had a sentinel placed in 
front of it ; and no private soldier was allowed to enter 
his tent without first getting permission. No intercourse 
was held between the officers and privates, only on busi- 
ness. They had not seen any service only guarding the 
railroad. They were finally equipped with arms and etc. 
and neatly uniformed ; and the style displayed, soon con- 
vinced the boys of the Twelfth, according to Col. Curtis, 
then major, that they, the Thirty-fourth, considered them, 
the Twelfth boys, a lot of rude mountaineers that were 
not their equals. But an opportunity was soon given to 
test that matter, so far as fast marching and roughing it 
generally were concerned, to their entire satisfaction. 

(278) No disparagement of the Thirty- fourth, is in- 
tended by the foregoing remarks. The men of that com- 
mand were brave soldiers, and their colonel, Col. Wells, 
was a brave capable and careful officer. There was prob- 
ably little or no difference in bravery between the Eastern 
and Western soldiers. Gen. Sheridan thought, after 
seeing both European and American armies in action, that 
while the latter were no braver than the former, they, 
the American sodiers were the most intelligent, re- 
sourceful and efficient soldiers in the world. And because 
the Western soldier was more used to the handling of 
arms, and for the reason that the hardships and varied 
experience of frontier life had produced in him a ready 
adaptability to necessities, he was perhaps a little more 

85 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

distinctively American in the quick resourcefulness, in the 
rough and rugged requirements of war, than was her 
more delicately reared Eastern brother. 

(279) No doubt those Massachusetts boys thought 
their colonel was too rigid in maintaining the exclusive- 
ness he did on the part of his officers. Gen. Grant says 
of Gen. Buell : "He was a strict disciplinarian and per- 
haps did not distinguish sufficiently between the volun- 
teer, who enlisted for the war and the soldier who serves 
in time of peace." This seems to have been the trouble 
with Col. Wells. "One system," says Grant, "embraced 
men who risked life for principal, and other men of 
social standing competence, or wealth and independence 
of character. The other includes, as a rule, only men 
who could not do as well in any other occupation." 

(280) The Twelfth remained on the Heights, with the 
exception of a movement up and down the Valley, for 
about two and a half months, doing picket duty and work- 
ing on fortifications there. At least this was the work of 
part of the regiment. However, on November 5th, we 
marched across the river to Harpers Ferry to hold the 
camp of the Thirty-fourth Massachusetts one day and 
night while that regiment was on a scout to Charleston 
and back. We moved onto the Heights again the next 
morning, the Thirty-fourth having returned to their camp. 

(281) Gen. Sullivan having been ordered to make a 
demonstration against Staunton, Maj. Curtic received 
orders on the night of the 9th to have the Twelfth fur- 
nished with three days' cooked rations, and forty rounds 
of ammunition to the man, and be ready by dawn on the 
next day to march up the Valley to make the demon- 
stration. 

(282) This movement was apparently made with a 
view to drawing troops from Richmond to protect Staun- 
ton, and as a diversion in favor of Gen. Stoneman, who 
started December 6th, from Knoxville, Tenn., with three 
mounted brigades, led by Burbridge and Gillem, and 



86 



WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY 

moved along the Virginia and East Tennessee railroad to 
Marion, Va., where Gillem struck the Rebel Gen. Vaughn, 
the Sixteenth chasing him :>0 miles into Wytheville; cap- 
turing 200 men, eight guns and a large train ; then moved 
on along the railroad as far as Max Meadows, Va. Our 
force and that of Stoneman would thus, in our movements 
tend toward each other. On this expedition Stoneman 
captured in all 500 prisoners, destroyed the lead works 
15 miles east of Wytheville, destroyed on his way back 
to Knoxville the valuable and costly saltworks at Salt- 
ville, Va., and made other material captures, and destruc- 
tions, including destruction to some extent of the railroad. 

(283) At the appointed time the Tenth, our regiment 
marched from the Heights across to Harpers Ferry, 
where we joined the Thirty-fourth Massachusetts with 
four pieces of Indiana battery under command of Capt. 
Minor. The force moved early in the morning of this 
day under command of Col. Wells, he being the senior 
officer in the command. The route was through Charles- 
ton at which place we were joined by the First New 
York, the Fifth Maine, the Twenty-First Pennsylvania, 
and Cole's Maryland Battalion, which reinforcements 
were all cavalry. In addition to this, there were added to 
the artillery strength at this place, two 12-pound brass 
pieces. 

(284) A rather short march was made that day, as 
the Thirty-fourth had started with heavy knapsacks of 
clothing, blankets, and etc., to keep them comfortable, as 
the command had neither tents nor shelter of any kind 
to protect the men. 

(285) Camp was made that night between Charles- 
ton and Berryville. The next morning the advance was 
given to the Twelfth. They started off whistling "Yankee 
Doodle" and keeping step to the music at a lively gait. 
Berryville was passed through, and coming to the Ope- 
quon Creek beyond, Col. Wells ordered the command to 
halt until a temporary bridge should be made. The boys 

87 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

of the Twelfth, who had frequently had such obstacles to 
overcome, soon set the Thirty-fourth boys an example of 
how to get on the other side of a creek, by plunging into 
this one and wading across. Col. Wells exclaimed to 
Major Curtis, "What kind of men have you? They 
don't seem to care for water or anything else." The 
Major replied : "They are used to that kind of work." 

(286) The Twelfth boys marched on rapidly, in order 
to give the Massachusetts regiment a lesson in marching 
and about 12 o'clock the wagon master came galloping 
up to the front and requested Col. Wells to slacken up 
the speed, as the men of the Thirty-fourth were all giving 
out, emptying their knapsacks of blankets and extra 
clothing, and climbing into the wagons and artillery car- 
riages to ride. The order was given to proceed on a 
slower march, which was done. 

(287) This plan of rather slow marching pursued by 
Col. Wells going as he did at the outset at the rate of 
about sixteen miles a day, is to be commended. It 
showed him to be considerate and careful of his men. 
Men ought not to be marched • from twenty to thirty 
miles per day, unless there were some special urgency 
for so doing. But it often happened that the various 
commands to which our regiment belonged, would march 
considerably over twenty miles a day, when no apparent 
reason existed for so doing. Those responsible for this 
had marching being mounted did not seem to realize 
what a heavy drain it was on the energy of the men to 
carry about thirty pounds, including arms equipments 
and etc., all day on a hard march, or to appreciate how 
heavy this weight would become before the end of a 
day's long march. 

(288) Surgeon F. H. Patton, in charge of the Soldiers' 
Home at Dayton, O., in a recent interview said that most 
of the inmates there were afflicted with heart trouble; 
and he attributed this fact to over exertion during the 
war. Assuming this to be true, it is believed that much 

88 



WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER [NFANTRY 

if not most of this heart trouble is attributable to un- 
necessarily hard marching. 

9) On this second day's march — the command 
passed through Winchester from which place the regi- 
ment, being in Gen. Milroy's army, was routed in the 
preceding June, by Lee's army and camped two miles 
from town. While here some of the Twelfth boys took 
the opportunity of looking over the battle field, and saw- 
where some of their comrades had fallen and been buried, 
with only a little earth thrown upon them. The third 
day the command marched to Strasburg and remained 
there four days. 

I 290) Some of the comrades tell of a trick one of the 
Twelfth boys played on a citizen at this town, during 
this stay here. He, the soldier, some how had got hold 
of a watch chain made of imitation gold dollars. The 
chain was formed by lining these dollars together. He 
seperated them by removing the links. No doubt with a 
view to catching a victim, this soldier one day was care- 
lessly toying with his gold dollars in the presence of a 
citizen, when the eye of the latter caught a sight of the 
seeming coin. The citizen immediately asked the soldier 
what he would take for it. The latter played the in- 
different dodge — seemed like he did not care whether he 
sold his coin or not ; but finally said that as he would 
spend his money anyhow, he would exchange it dollar for 
dollar, for "greenbacks." The citizen promptly handed 
over the required treasury notes, putting the bogus coin 
in his pocket with the remark that he would "salt that 
down." Very probably he would discover later that it 
was the man instead of the money that was "salted." 

(291) Cheating tricks, such as this are not to be ap- 
proved of course ; but a faithful though imperfect record, 
demands that incidents of this character as well as those 
of a more creditable kind, should be given. 

(292) On the night of the 16th, while still at Stras- 
burg, it began raining. In the morning, the command 

89 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

marched to near Woodstock, the rain still falling. In the 
evening the rain turned to sleet. Camp was made in the 
woods where part of the timber was pines or cedars and 
in the night some of the men, who had put up their 
gum blankets to partially protect themselves from the 
falling sleet, had to move their quarters on account of the 
sleet breaking the limbs of the trees above their heads, 
making it unsafe to stay where they were. Of course, 
this disagreeable weather was very trying on the endur- 
ance and patience of the men. Having relation to this 
trying severity of the weather this story is told. There 
was a soldier in the Twelfth, who was familiarly known 
as "Kid." He, it seemed got very much disgusted with 
the bad weather, prevailing at this time; and by reason 
of his patience and endurance being sorely tried, he began 
to curse the war in general ; and wound up with saying in 
a mainly jocular and slightly serious manner, that so 
far as he was concerned the Johnny's might have their 
Confederacy. 

(293) The next day, however, the sun came out bright 
and the day was comparatively beautifully ; and some of 
the boys remembering what "Kid" had said the day 
before reminded him of it saying, "Kid, how do you feel 
about it today? Are you willing today to give the 
Johnnys their Confederacy?" "No." said "Kid," "I'll be 
damned if I am ; I'll try them a hustle for it first." "Kid" 
was a good soldier. He faithfully performed his duty to 
the end of the war. He was in at the final "hustle" at 
Petersburg and Appomattox, and saw the flag of treason 
go down before the flag of our country, to be hoisted no 
more forever, it is hoped. 

(294) On the 18th, the command continued its march 
going short distances each day until the afternoon of the 
20th, when Harrisonburg, about 100 miles from Harpers 
Ferry was reached. At the bridge across the North Fork 
of the Shenandoah, which was crossed the day before, the 
19th, forty men of the First New York cavalry were 

90 



WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY 

left to guard it. In the evening of the day Harrisonburg 
was reached, the command was formed in line of battle, 
on account of a report that the Rebels were coming; but 
no attack was made. However, Gen. Early, with a 
division, a force many times that of ours was near and 
the object of the expedition (the drawing of the Rebels' 
attention and the withdrawing of troops toward us from 
Richmond, to enable our troops in other fields to success- 
fully accomplish their purposes) having been gained, the 
command after dark that night started to retrace its steps 
down the Valley, reaching New Market by 4 o'clock next 
morning, distance 18 miles. 

(295) Here is an incident which it may be thought 
should have a place here : On our return down the Val- 
ley, perhaps at New Market, a woman stuck her head 
out of a house and shouted, "You're running again are 
you?" It appears that the boys received this taunt good- 
naturedly no doubt thinking that it was a pretty good 
joke. The average American is proveriably good- 
natured; and can often enjoy a sarcasm or joke at his 
own expense. Perhaps there never was a man before 
in which there was less of hereditary clannish or per- 
sonal hate involved than in this. This was true especially 
of the Northern soldier. This lack of personal enmity 
was often shown by the good-natured sociable chats the 
soldiers of the two armies would have when they would 
get together, those of the one side being prisoners, for 
instance. 

(296) So the boys in the case of the above incident 
showed no sign of cherished hate or any illnatured per- 
sonal resentment toward the Rebel woman for her taunt. 
Sharp thrusts like this coming from Rebels, were some- 
times met, however, with more than counter balancing 
thrusts. For instance, one time while our regiment was 
at Winchester the winter previous, a rather large guard 
having gone out some three or four miles with some 
wagons to get fire wood, a woman sarcastically said to 

91 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

the boys, "It takes a good many Yankees to get a little 
wood." "Yes," replied some one, "it does, but it would 
take a whole army of Rebels to get wood up North." 

(207) After remaining five hours at New Market the 
march was resumed and continued till evening, when 
the force camped. Just after dark the rear guard was 
fired on from across the Shenandoah by some bush- 
whackers, causing the troops to be ordered into line; but 
it was soon learned that there was nothing serious. There 
was no further disturbance during the night. The next 
day on the way down the Valley, 400 Rebel cavalry 
charged on our rear guard at Woodstock ; but some well 
directed shots from a section of artillery sent them back 
flying. Camp was made that night at Strasburg. 

(298) Starting from here the next morning the com- 
mand reached (in two days) Harpers Ferry, the 24th, a 
distance of 48 miles. The comman on its retreat aver- 
aged about 25 miles per day. This was hard marching, 
but there was reason for it. Col. Curtis says that Gen. 
Early was in close pursuit ; as far as Winchester and that 
it needed no rear guard to keep up the stragglers. 

(299) Col. Wells managed this expedition skillfully, 
choosing a good position every night for his camp. Be- 
sides making an effective diversion in favor of Gen. 
Stoneman operating along the Virginia and Tennessee 
railroad, the command captured 68 prisoners. This march 
up and down the Valley in severe winter weather, was 
very hard on the men, they having to sleep on the ground, 
without tents or shelter of any kind, but they stood it 
fairly well. 

(300) Early remained at Winchester till the 31st, 
when he advanced upon Harpers Ferry threatening an 
attack upon that place. Our regiment by daylight that 
morning crossed over to Harpers Ferry. Maj. Curtis 
having received orders the night before to move his com- 
mand from Maryland Heights to that place early in the 
morning. We marched to the camp of the Thirty-fourth 

92 



WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY 

Massachusetts, which was stationed on that side of the 
river, where we remained all day. There was no attack 
however. It rained all of this day. At night we camped 
with the Thirty-fourth. 

(301) On the morning of January 1st, 1864, which 
will be remembered by all old soldiers as the cold New 
Year's day, the mercury being 23 degrees below zero 
at Harpers Ferry. Maj. Curtis was ordered in connection 
with the other troops at this place to form the Twelfth 
in line of battle on Bolivar Heights, just back of Harpers 
Ferry, to protect it from the assault expected to be made 
by Early. The regiment was placed on the top of the 
Heights. It being so very cold, it was impossible for the 
men to stand in line without freezing; and they were 
allowed to stack arms, break ranks, build fires and stand 
around them, or run backward and forward to keep from 
freezing. 

(302) The entire day was spent in this position and 
night coming on without the enemy's appearing, the 
command was withdrawn to within our works. The 
Twelfth returned to the camp of the Thirty-fourth, some 
of our companies quartering in vacant houses, in which 
flies were built making it decidedly more pleasant than 
standing in line in the bitter cold air. When early in 
the morning, information was received that Early had 
concluded that it was too cold to fight, and had withdrawn 
his army from our front and gone back up the Valley, 
our regiment returned to its quarters on Maryland 
Heights. It was so cold that New Year's night that, it 
was so reported, six of the First New York cavalry's 
teamsters were frozen to death. This same night a part 
of the Sixth corps passed by Harpers Ferry on the rail- 
road on its way from the Army of the Potomac to Mar- 
tinsburg, and through the day (the second) a brigade of 
the same corps got off the cars here and went out to 
Halltown, some four miles distant. No doubt, Early's 
movement down the Valley had caused these troops to be 
sent to his department. 

93 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

(303) On the 4th, Maj. Curtis received orders to 
proceed immediately with the Twelfth by the Baltimore 
and Ohio railroad to Cumberland, Md., and report to 
Gen. B. F. Kelly, who was in command there. He, 
Kelley, fearing that Early would make a movement 
against Cumberland, had requested that the Twelfth be 
sent to him to assist in defending the place in that con- 
tingency. Six companies got off on the route during the 
afternoon of that day, and arrived at Cumberland in the 
early part of the night. The other four companies did 
not get started from Harpers Ferry till 10 o'clock that 
night, being delayed in getting their baggage from camp. 
They had only one car to the company, (freight car) 
and they were so crowded that there was scarcely room 
for the men to sit. They reached Cumberland at 10 
o'clock the next day. The regiment was furnished with 
very comfortable quarters, such as it had not had before 
during its service. One-half the companies was quartered 
in what was known as the old Shriver Mill, and the 
other half in a large hospital. There being plenty of room 
here in this latter building, the boys had free swing to 
work off their surplus energy, and some of them for a 
day or so after being quartered in it, spent part of their 
time trying their skill in dancing. 

(304) Major Curtis, on our arrival here received an 
order from Gen. Kelley to have the Twelfth furnished 
with four days' cooked rations, forty rounds of ammuni- 
tion, lie upon their arms and be ready to move at a 
moment's warning. The order was complied with and 
the boys expected every minute to hear the bugle call 
to fall in ; but none came and no further orders were 
received from Gen. Kelley to prepare for battle. Early 
having concluded, no doubt, the weather being so very 
cold to go back to his winter quarters, and wait until it 
moderated before engaging in further field operations. 

(305) The Twelfth remained here doing guard and 
picket duty during the months of January, February and 

94 



WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY 

March. On January 23rd, we received two months pay, 
and the same day the officers of the regiment met and by 
a formal vote recommended the appointment of Major 
Curtis as colonel of the Twelfth, and on the 26th, he 
received his commission as Colonel, to rank as such from 
this latter date, vice J. B. Klunk, who had resigned, Lieut. 
Col. Northcott still being a prisoner of war. Capt. R. H. 
Brown of Company I, on February 6th, was com- 
missioned Major of the regiment, in accordance with the 
recommendation of the officers of it. 

(306) Many of the boys still cherish tender recollec- 
tions of the old mill and the hospital we were camped 
in at Cumberland and the good times we had at that 
place. Many agreeable acquaintances were formed here 
by the boys, which in some instances ripened into endur- 
ing friendship. The gay Lieutenant away from scenes 
of strife turned his attention to more peaceful and con- 
genial pursuits, while some of the boys were not slow to 
imitate and emulate his example, in endeavoring to reduce 
the Confederacy to submission by arts long known and 
long practiced — those by which the hearts of the fair 
Rebels were attempted to be captured. 

(307) Paper collars soft bread, soft drinks, some not 
so soft, soft interviews and a large correspondence we-i 
some of the luxuries enjoyed at this place. Occassional 'y 
some enterprising member of the Twelfth fired with zeal, 
or something else, would interview the provost guard 
and inspect the interior of the old depot, used as a guard 
house ; which diversion taken with the picnics had with 
the canal boatmen, served to vary the monootony inci- 
dent to soldier life. 

(308) At this point may be given a story told by J. 
H. Haney of Company K. about a trick played by some 
of the boys of his company upon a landlord of this city 
during our encampment there. The story as well as is 
remembered is about as follows : Some of the boys ot the 
aforesaid company, persuading themselves that the water 

95 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

oi the place did not agree with them, or that their 
Sir m.ichs needed a stimulus in order that they might be 
able with some relish to partake of their usual ration of 
salt pork and hard tack, concluded that they would go 
eariy one morning to a hotel near the railroad station, 
kept by a man named Kelly, and try the virtue of his 
tangle foot. When the boys got to the hotel the land- 
lord was still in bed. One of them suggested that they 
be patient and not wake him. In the meantime this same 
soldier reconnoitered to the rear of the building and 
discovered a string of mackerel there on a por~.li. He 
came back and told what he had seen, suggesting to a 
comrade that the fish might be made available for the 
drink?. He acted immediately on the suggestion and 
went and got them intending to try the experiment. 

(309) It was not long till the landlord was out of 
bed. The boys walked into the bar-room with the fish 
saying that they had had for some time mackerel issued 
to them, and that they had got very tired of them ; and 
wanted to know if the landlord would not treat the crowd 
for the string they had brought. The landlord, being a 
clever Irishman promptly said that he would, setting out 
the bottle, and throwing the string of fish out on the 
porch. They took their dose of corrective when looting 
out of the door, they saw another boy, with whom the 
water did not agree directing his steps toward the hotel. 

(310) One of the boys in the bar-room went out and 
met him, telling him of the marckerel on the porch, and 
wanted to know what was to hinder their being traded 
for the drinks. That was hint enough. It was not long, 
until the first were in possession of the new comer, and 
pretty soon he walked into the bar-room with them. The 
rest of the boys assumed an air of surprise, and said, 
"Hello! you are here are you? and got fish too?" Yes 
their mess had more of them than they wanted and he 
thought that he would see if the landlord would trade him 
a drink of "red-eye" for this string. The landlord 

96 



WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY 

obligingly agreed to do so ; and the drinks the second time 
were gotten for the same fish, the landlord again throw- 
ing them out on the porch without discovering the trick. 

(311) This trick was played successfully three dif- 
ferent times that morning when the boys concluded that 
they would go to camp. They started but had not got 
far when the landlord called out "Hello! boys." They 
thought, "Now we are in for it — now we will get a 
blessing!" But the landlord saw the humorous side of 
the matter, and so he said, "Come back boys. Any 
man that is darned fool enough to buy his own fish three 
times ought to stand treat." So they went back and got 
the fourth drink as the result of their fish deals. 

(312) Coming as the story does from Hen Haney, 
it is not by any means to be regarded as a "fish story." 
He avers that the boys who took in "the landlord were 
not bummers, but rather genteel fellows who did what 
they did in spirit of fun rather than otherwise; that 
they all had been, since the war, well doing and pros- 
perous men. After the paymaster paid them, they went 
back and paid the landlord for the drinks ; and he being a 
jolly Irishman looked upon the Company K boys after 
that as being 'the broths of boys.' ' 

(313) While the regiment was at Harpers Ferry some 
officers and sergeants were detailed and sent to their re- 
spective sectionss of country to recruit. A number of 
the recruits obtained, came to us while we were at Cum- 
berland. The older soldiers in some cases called these 
recruits in a jesting way "conscripts." Though the re- 
cruits, as a rule had not seen any service, the time was 
not far off when they were to see plenty of it. and all 
distinction between themselves and the soldiers longer 
in the service should be lost. Gen. Grant was soon to 
be placed in command of the armies of the United States : 
a- (1 instead of the lack of unity or co-operation and 
persistency of effort, that hitherto had characterized the 
operations of our armies, there was destined to be. as far 

97 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

as possible, a co-operation of movement and avigorous, 
persistent "hammering away" on the part of all our forces 
The fighting of the present year was to be bloodier than 
ever, especially in Virginia. While heretofore, for in- 
stance, one or two considerable engagements were as 
many as took place in the Valley during a year, the 
present year was to witness six or eight hard battles 
there. And the Twelfth had in store for it four or five 
times as much fighting during the coming fifteen months, 
as it had it in all its previous service. 

(314) Going back a little, on January 27th, Gen. Mil- 
roy arrived in the city putting up at the Revere House, 
and the next day the Twelfth was marched to his place 
of stopping when he made us a short speech. 

(315) In the forepart of February, Col. Curtis re- 
ceived orders to take the regiment and go into camp on 
a hill west of the city, which was done, and while remain- 
ing here having very light picket and guard duty to 
perform, and working on fortifications, the Colonel found 
time to thoroughly drill the regiment in battalion drill, 
the manual of arms and dress parade. It became very 
efficient in drill and in the manual of arms. 

(316) Feberuary 2nd, the Rebels made a dash in on 
the railroad and burned a bridge seven miles east of 
here. A few weeks latr McNeil's and Woodson's men 
under the command of Jesse McNeil dashed into Cum- 
berland at night and captured and brought off Generals 
Crook and Kelly, and Capt. Thayer Melvin, Gen. Kel- 
ley's adjutant general. This was a very daring feat. 



98 



CHAPTER VII. 

(317) March 12th, Maj. Gen. Franz Sigel arrived here 
and took command of the department. During this 
month the arrangement was made for the raid against 
Lynchburg, Gen. Sigel to command the force in person, 
to be moved it was first intended from Webster, near 
Grafton on the Baltimore and Ohio railroad but as finally 
decided from Martinsburg up the Valley. He carefully 
inspected the troops here intended to go on the expedition. 
In his inspection which was minute and almost individual 
in character, he passed closely along the lines of men, 
looking sharply into their eyes, apparently to see if there 
was fight there. 
. (318) On a Sabbath day shortly after Sigel's arrival 
here. A few weeks later McNeil's and Woodson's men 
parade, he and his staff rode up to the camp and quietly 
took position behind the Colonel, and witnessed the 
efficiency with which the men executed the orders given 
them ; and when the parade was over Gen. Sigel rode up 
to the Colonel and complimented the regiment on its 
high attainment in drill, stating that he had no idea that 
there was so well drilled a regiment in that department 

(319) Lieut. Col. Northcott, having recently rejoined 
the regiment, from being a prisoner in Libby prison, on 
the occasion of a dress parade on the 27th, gave us a 
short speech. Gen. Sigel was also up to the camp at the 
time and spoke briefly to the regiment. Officers and 
men were all pleased to see the Lieutenant Colonel once 
more with the regiment; and he no doubt, was no less 
glad to exchange life in a Rebel prison for his accustomed 
duties with the boys. 

(320) Adjt. Gen. Pierpoint,, our former Major be- 
tween whom and the Twelfth, there had always been a 
strong, mutual attachment came from Wheeling on 

99 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

April 2nd, to pay the regiment a visit and greet his late 
comrades again. 

(321) The next day, the 3rd, the regiment was ordered 
to proceed to Webster, W. Va., by the way of the Balti- 
more and Ohio railroad, where a force was concentrating 
to start on the expedition against Lynchburg, by the way 
of Beverly to Staunton, Va., at which place it was to form 
a junction with Gen. Crook's forces, moving from the 
Kanawha Valley. Gen. Sigel ordered the Twlefth to start 
in the advance with 250 head of cattle in their charge 
for the soldiers to subsist upon. The regiment succeeded 
in getting the cattle through to Beverly 42 miles irom 
Webster. This being the first opportunity the members 
of the regiment had of playing the part of "cow boys" 
they performed the task with the zeal of novices and had 
a jolly time of it. We found the Tenth and Eleventh 
West Virginia and the Twenty-eighth Ohio infantry at 
Beverly. 

(322) By the time the Twelfth had arrived at this 
place with the cattle, Sigel was convinced that it would be 
impossible to get his artillery through on this route ; and 
he changed the plan of moving against the enemy, to 
marching up the Valley. We stayed here two nights 
and one day, when the regiment was ordered to return 
immediately to Webster with the cattle. We, on the 
return, reached Philippi, the 11th. Four companies C, E 5 
G and I, remained here a few days under the command of 
Maj. Brown. The rest of the regiment went to Web- 
ster with the cattle, in the morning. This was a hard 
and worse than useless march of 84 miles fro m Web- 
ster to Beverly and back. The weather was very rainy 
and we had to march through deep mud well mixed, by 
the driving of 250 head of cattle over the road. The 
boys talked sarcastically about it, saying that they did 
not understand it, but that they supposed this movement 
was strategy. 

(323) On our return in passing through Belington, a 



100 



WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY 

small town between Beverly and Philippi, a lieutenant, 
who was in command of the post there asked Col. Curtis 
where he intended to camp that night. The Colonel in- 
formed him that in coming out he had noticed a farm that 
was supplied with a long high fence of new rails ; and 
that was the point he intended to make as it would give 
the boys an opportunity of convienently getting good 
fuel to keep up ample fires. The Lieutenant replied, 
"That is the very place you should go into camp. You 
can't punish them half enough, they are the meanest 

d d Rebels in the state. They assisted a gang of 

Rebel soldiers in capturing a large train of wagons 
loaded with commissary and quartermaster stores, on 
their way to Beverly taking all the goods and horses, and 
burning the wagons." 

( 324) The regiment proceeded to the point designated 
and went into camp along the line of fence. One of 
the young men of the family came to us while arrange- 
ments were making for camping. He looked as though 
he had just left Mosby's gang of guerrillas. The Colonel 
approached him and inquired if he could procure some 
straw for the men to sleep on, stating that the ground 
was damp and cold, and he would like to make them as 
comfortable as possible sine ethey had no tents or shelter 
of any kind. He replied : "No, we have nothing of the 
kind on the farm. Everything has been taken from us, 
and we have been compelled to cut the limbs from the 
trees to browse our cattle on to keep them from starving." 
Of course, the young man expected that this statement 
would be accepted as the truth. 

(325) However, the Colonel concluded knowing the 
capacity of the Twelfth boys to make themselves com- 
fortable, that they could be trusted to take care of them- 
selves ; and that there was not much likelihood that they 
would sleep on the bare ground that night. This con- 
clusion was justified about one hour after the camp was 

101 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

located. At that time a line of men could be seen with 
great bundles of straw coming into camp. 

(326) Before this the Colonel had walked to the house 
to get quarters for himself and Surgeon Bryon. He 
procured a room from the old lady. She appeared to be 
boss of the ranch. He inquired of her if she would 
sell him some meat, as he had been informed by the 
cook of his mess, that the supplies of meat was about 
exhausted. She replied : "No, we have not a bit of meat 
for our own family." 

(327) About 8 o'clock at night there was a racket out 
at the chicken roost. The chickens were fluttering and 
squalling as though the owls had attacked them. The old 
lady's daughter ran out to learn what had caused the 
disturbance, and returned very shortly saying: "Mam, 
them Yankees are stealing all our chickens." The boss 
of the ranch ordered the Colonel to go out and stop 
the men from stealing her chickens. He, very obiedently 
complied with the orders, and returned pretty soon re- 
porting that he failed to see anyone about the chicken 
roost and took his seat. About an hour afterwards, the 
same racket of fluttering and squalling was repeated. 
The girl ran out again, and after making a general inspec- 
tion of the chicken roost ran back and exclaimed : "Mam, 
them infernal soldiers have stole every chicken we have 
but old speck." And then the old sharp-nosed thin 
visaged Boss, with a tongue apparently loose at both 
ends, rattled her slang at the Colonel at a terrible rate, 
calling him and his men all kinds of vile names. But 
her troubles did not end here. 

(328) The next morning just at day break the Boss 
rushed into his bed room, and seizing him by the shoul- 
ders and shaking him shouted : "Get up, your men have 
stolen all my meat." He replied : "Why, Madam, you 
told me you had no meat about your house." "Yes," said 
she, "but I had, and your men have undermined my 
smoke house and took all I had." He informed her that 



102 



WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY 

she had done wrong in telling him a falsehood in saying 
that she had no meat. She should have asked for a 
guard to protect it. She then demanded that a guard 
be sent to search the regiment to see if it could be 
found. This was done, and the guard returned in due 
time, reporting that he had thoroughly searched the 
camp and no meat could be found. He may have made 
a correct report; nevertheless, when the Colonel joined 
his mess for dinner that day, he found a very fine roast 
of ham prepared for the meal. But he could not learn 
where it came from. 

(329) While the four companies before named were 
at Philippi, there was a considerable amount of govern- 
ment revenue stamps stolen. It seemed conclusive that 
some soldier had done the deed; and Maj. Brown had a 
careful and earnest search made of every man of the 
four companies, but the stamps were not found. The 
officers and men generally of the detachment were 
indignantly that any one of the Twelfth had committed 
such a crime, feeling that it brought dishonor upon the 
whole command. They would have been pleased if the 
guilty one should have been found and properly pun- 
ished. Many months afterward, it is said, it became 
pretty generally known who had done the deed. 

(830) The detachment, on the 20th, marched to Web- 
ster, joining there the rest of the regiment, and the 
next day in accordance with orders the regiment marched 
to Grafton, taking the cars there to go by the way of 
the Baltimore and Ohio railroad to Martinsburg, arriv- 
ing there the 22nd, in the evening, and camped near 
the First Virginia infantry camp. We remained at Mar- 
tinsburg several days, and there were inspections and a 
general review of all the troops here. In the meantime 
there was organize! in the second brigade, consisting of 
the Thirty-fourth Massachusetts, the Fifty-fourth Penn- 
sylvania, the First Virginia, and Twelfth West Virginia 
under command of the gallant Col. Joseph Thoburn. 

103 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

(331) We had now got started on a season of hard 
campaigning which was the run into the late fall. We 
were about to start up what had hitherto been in the 
main and what was to continue to be for a time, with 
some bright exceptions, the Valley of defeat and humilia- 
tion ; but which was in the end to be the Valley of glorious 
victory for the arms of the Union. 

(332) The 28th, the command received orders from 
Gen. Sigel, commander, to be ready to march at 8 
o'clock in the morning with five days' rations in our 
haversacks. We set out on the march in the morning 
at the appointed time on the Winchester pike, and 
marched to Bunker Hill, ten miles distant, and remained 
there till May 1st, when we marched through and to a 
point about two miles beyond Winchester. All along 
the pike from Martinsburg to Winchester on the march 
between the two towns, could be seen the graves of 
soldiers of the one or the other side who had fallen as 
victims of the cruel, bloody, wicked war. There was 
perhaps not a mile of the whole route over which we 
passed along which there could not be seen a soldier's 
grave; and at Winchester there were thousands buried. 
Everywhere could be seen the destructiveness and 
paralyzing effects of the war. Fences were torn down, 
farms were stripped of live stock, high grass was grow- 
ing up to the edge of the towns, and it seemed as if the 
country was deserted by its inhabitants. Everything and 
the condition of things generally were object lessons 
teaching of the baleful effects of war. 

(333) On this day we passed through the historic and 
memorable old town of Winchester and camped about 
two miles beyond the town. The next day we had brigade 
drill under the supervision of Gen. Sigel. We remained 
here about a week during which time the organization 
of the army was completed. Our stay here afforded the 
boys of the Twelfth an opportunity to walk over the 
old battle ground of the Winchester battle fousrht on 



104 



WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER ENFANTRY 

our side under Gen. Milroy. The boys examined the 
scene of the battle with considerable eager curious 
interest. 

(334) While we were at this point, there were extra 
precautions taken against a surprise. Strong picket forces 
were kept out, five companies being sent out on some 
of the roads, at least, and orders were given to keep one- 
third of the men up at night all the time, showing that 
Gen. Sigel was a vigilant careful commander. This 
alertness and these precautions indicated that we were 
drawing near the enemy, and gave a hint of coming clash 
of arms, which indeed was not far in the future. 

(335) The command on the 9th, moved up the Valley, 
our brigade in advance under Col. Thoburn. We 
marched 13 miles on this day and camped in the evening 
at Cedar Creek. The bridge across this creek had been 
destroyed, and it had to be rebuilt before the command 
could proceed farther. The bridge being rebuilt, we 
resumed our march on the 11th, passing through Strats- 
burg, and camped one mile short of reaching Woodstock, 
the distance marched being 14 miles. 

(-336) It perhaps should have been noted that when 
the command reached Fisher's Hill after leaving Cedar 
Creek, it was halted and the men were ordered to load. 
Tlmse who had been under fire before, felt the gravity 
of th outlook, and it was noticeable that more than one 
brave man looked very serious as he tore the paper 
from his cartridge. 

(337) We remained at our camp near Woodstock one 
dav with nothing unusual occurring, when on the next 
dav our regiment with two pieces of artillery was ordered 
up the Valley about seven miles, one mile south of Edin- 
burgh, as an advance picket. Some Rebel cavalry were 
seen here at a distance. Company S, was deployed across 
the road leading south with orders to allow no one to 
pa^. Soon two young ladies, in passing from home to 
town discovered the pickets, a member of the company 

105 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

relates, and turned to run. They were captured after an 
exciting chase and sent to town, and ordered to remain 
there till the next morning. There was a pouring rain 
that night and the soldiers got a taste of the beauties of 
soldier life, getting thoroughly soaked with rain. Some 
tried to sleep; others preferred to stand or sit around 
roaring fires. In some cases those who tried to sleep 
.found the water collecting in pools around their bodies. 

(338) It was at this place and time or near it, it is 
believed, that an incident occurred which shows, as far 
as it goes, that a soldier would better obey orders. The 
writer of this was for the night, assigned to Company 
C, to go with it on picket, there being only one com- 
missioned officer of the company present at the time. 
All was quiet at the picket post in the night and in the 
morning John W. Crow and another soldier asked Capt. 
Bartlett of the company, if they might go to a house 
several hundred yards distant to get some bread. He 
said that they might go, but told them to not go any 
farther. It was a spider-and-the-fly-case — they did not 
come back again. At all events we did not see them 
for several months afterward, when they came back as 
exchanged prisoners. They then told that when they 
went to the house mentioned, the mistress said that she 
had no bread, but she thought they could get it at a 
house a little farther off, probably knowing what would 
happen if they went there. They went and were captured. 
No doubt they often deeply regretted their disobedience 
of orders. 

(339) The Twelfth was relieved from picket in the 
morning by the One Hundred and Twenty-third Ohio 
and the Eighteenth Connecticut, and we returned to our 
camp near Edinburgh, the rain still falling. On our way 
we met the First Virginia and the Thirty fourth Massa- 
chusetts going up the pike. It began to look as though 
things were approaching a crisis. In the morning at 2 
o'clock May 15th, Companys A, B, F, and I, were ordered 

106 



WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY 

back to Edinburg to take the place of the regiments that 
had relieved us the morning before, in order that they 
might go to reinfroce the First Virginia and the Thirty- 
fourth Massachusetts which had met some of the enemy, 
and had had considerable fighting with them the evening 
and night of the 14th. 

(340) About 8 o'clock A. M. the rest of the force came 
up and we rejoining our rgeiment, all pushed on to 
Mount Jackson about 14 miles from our camp at Wood- 
stock. 

(341) At Mount Jackson we went into camp, but were 
ordered to move out in less than thirty minutes. The four 
regiments in advance having engaged the Rebels at New 
Market six miles farther up, we marched in the direction 
of the fighting. 

(342) The morning had been clear, but soon after 
crossing the Shenandoah at Mount Jackson it began 
raining. Cannonading could be distinctly heard in our 
front, telling of serious work going on there and pre- 
saging a share of it for us, the regiments moving to the 
assistance of our comrades. We crossed the North 
Branch of the Shenandoah about one mile from Mount 
Jackson. The marching after leaving this place had been 
rapid and laborious through rain and mud, but soon we 
were ordered to double quick which we kept up for a 
few miles, till at about 2 o'clock P. M. we reached the 
field of battle, and were hastily formed in line of battle 
under the fire of the enemy, their balls at this time, how- 
ever, passing harmlessly over us. 

(343) Our entire brigade under Col. Thoburn was 
formed on the right of the pike, the two regiments which 
had been with Col. Moore at the front having returned to 
their own brigade, Thoburn's. Col. Moor with two regi- 
ments of his brigade, the Eighteenth Connecticut, the 
One Hundred and Twenty-third Ohio infantry with a 
small body of cavalry was left something in advance. The 

107 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

two other regiments of his brigade were a considerable 
distance in the rear with the wagon train. 

(344) The Twelfth as best can be gathered from a M. 
S. by Col. Curtis, was first formed in line at some con- 
siderable distance in rear of the three other regiments 
of our brigade; but this was scarcely more than done 
"when we were withdrawn" as Col. Curtis says, and 
formed close in the rear, say within 60 yards of the 
Thirty-fourth Massachusetts, and the First Virginia, 
except two companies. A and B, which were sent to the 
right to support Carlan's battery. 

(345) The eight companies had scarcely thus formed 
in line when we heard in our front for the first time the 
much mentioned Rebel yell. Gen. Breckinridge in com- 
mand of the Rebel force had moved to the attack with 
about 5,000 men, and overlapping Moor had soon driven 
him to the rear. With scarcely a halt he moved on to 
the attack of Thoburn's brigade, the main line, but was 
repulsed by a gallant charge made here. 

(346) Just where the Rebels raised the yell in making 
their charge, Gen. Sigel rode up to the eight companies 
of the Twelfth and ordered it into column by division to 
resist the charge ; but when the charge was repulsed, we 
were put into line again, and ordered to lie down. The 
Twelfth had a bad position. We were placed where we 
could do no good and yet where we suffered seriously, a 
more trying position on a soldier than where he has a 
chance to return the fire. There are no data at hand 
showing the loss of the regiment, but the compiler's own 
company lost in killed and wounded seven men in this 
engagement. 

(347) The battle was short, sharp, the losses heavy on 
each side and for a while the result doubtful. It was 
quite generally said by our men after the battle that at 
one time just before our line gave way, the Rebel line 
was breaking. The Rebel account goes to sustain this 
statement. Col. J. Stoddard Johnston of Breckinridge's 

108 



WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY 

staff says, according to Pond's"The Shenandoah in 1864, 
that" when his (Breckenridge's) line had reached within 
two hundred yards of the enemy, the position was very 
critical, and for a time it seemed doubtful as to which 
would be the first to give way." It is thus seen how near 
we were to gaining a victory. Had Moor's two regi- 
ments been drawn back and formed in line with the rest 
of the infantry and not left where they could do little 
or no good; and if Sigel had formed his infantry in our 
line as the enemy were, according to the authority men- 
tioned, it is no violent presumption to say that the vic- 
tory would probably have been with our troops. 

(348) The doubtfbul struggle was finally decided by 
our line giving way in some confusion and Sigel ordered 
a retreat. We fell back slowly. Imboden's official report 
confirms this, saying: ''Sigel's entire line retired slowly." 
The enemy did not press us much ; for if we had suffered 
severely they had also. The Lexington cadet battalion of 
250 lost more than one-fourth their number in killed and 
wounded. That one fight seemed to do them ; they were 
not present at the battle of Piedmont, three weeks later, 
though it was nearer home. In fact, they were never 
heard of in battle again. It is remembered that a Har- 
risburg newspaper obtained as we went up the Valley, two 
weeks after the battle of New Market, under Hunter, I 
amented the heavy loss of the Cadets in that battle; and 
urged that they should not be put into another engage- 
ment, saying that the young men or boys should be saved 
for the next war. 

(349) Then we had retreated as far as Rude's Hill, a 
mile or two, we met the two regiments, the One Hundred 
and Sixteenth, and the Twenty-eighth Ohio infantry that 
had been in the rear and were not in the engagement ; and 
they covered the retreat from this point to Mount Jackson, 
where we crossed the river, halted and formed in line of 
battle. The Rebels came close enough to throw a few 
shells but not close enough to be within musket shot. 

109 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

After dark we resumed the retreat and continued it, with 
stops for rests and meals, until we arrived at Cedar Creek 
the next day, the 16th, when our retreat came to an end. 

(350) There is nothing so successful as success; but it 
seems that there is no excuse taken for failure in war, 
neither by those in or out of authority. Col. Curtis 
records that the boys of the Twelfth in going up the 
Valley were constantly singing "We Fights Mit Sigel" 
but on the retreat their song was changed to "We Fights 
no more mit Sigel." One of the things that the officers 
and men of the Twelfth were displeased with and which 
they criticised severely was the fact that we were so placed 
in that battle that we could not fire on the enemy without 
firing into our own men, and yet so close to the front 
line that we suffered severely from the enemies fire. 

(351) It will be seen, however, from the following 
letter from Gen. Sigel which tells why the battle was 
fought just when and where it was, and other details 
which the survivors of the Twelfth will read no doubt 
with eager interest, that he disclaims responsibility for 
the regiment's final bad position on the field of battle. And 
it is inferred from Col. Curtis M. S. before mentioned 
wherein he speaks of our being "withdrawn" from our 
first position and placed in our final one, that he sup- 
posed this was done by competent authority. It appears 
that no one knows who was responsible for the blunder. 
Sigel's letter is given nearly in full : 

352) New York, August 19th, 1891. 

Lieut. Wm. Hewitt, Linton, Ohio. 
Dear Sir : 

The advance of my forces up the Shenandoah Valley 
was made for the purpose of assisting Gen. Crook's move- 
ment from the Kanawha Valley, by inducing Breckin- 
ridge, who commanded in southwest Virginia, to detach a 
part of his forces against me. To attain this object we 
advanced as far as Woodstock. From this place Col. 
Moor was sent forward on a reconnoitering expedition in 

110 



WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY 

the direction of Mount Jackson to ascertain the move- 
ments of the enemy, as from the telegraphic dispatches 
captured at Woodstock, we found that Breckinridge was 
moving down the Shenandoah Valley against us. 

(353) In the evening and during the night of the 14th 
of May, it was acertained that Col. Moor had passed 
Mount Jackson and had met a part of Breckinridge's 
forces; I, therefore, moved forward to Mount Jackson, 
to be nearer him (Moor) and for the reason that I 
intended to await Breckinridge's attack at that place. We 
arrived at Mount Jackson on the morning of the 15th, 
and found that Moor had gone as far as New Market, 
seven miles from Mount Jackson ; that Breckenridge was 
near him, and had made an attack on him during the 
night of the 14th, which was repulsed. 

(354) Made aware of the exposed position of the little 
force of Moor, I immediately sent orders for him to 
return to Mount Jackson, and to Gen. Stahl to move for- 
ward with the main force of our cavalry to cover the 
retreat of Moor, and retard the movement of the enemy. 
But this movement was executed so slowly and the dis- 
tance from Mount Jackson to New Market was com- 
paratively so great, that I resolved to move forward with 
my whole force, after having waited over an hour for 
an answer to my orders sent to Moor and Sullivan. 

(355) While the troops were in motion I rode forward 
myself, accompanied by an aid, as far as Rude's Hill ; and 
on my way was met by Capt. Alexander, who had been 
sent by Col. Moor and he reported that his ((Moor's) 
troops were in an excellent position and that I should 
come to their assistance. Under these circumstances. I 
sent back to our troops to hasten their march towards 
New Market; while I went forward to meet those of 
Moor and Stahl. I arrived near New Market about noon, 
and before the enemy began his attack. 

(35G) It now became clear to me that all the troops 
could not reach the position close to New Market; I 

111 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

therefore ordered Col. Moor to evacuate his position 
slowly, covered by cavalry, and to fall back into a new 
position, which was selected about three-quarters of a 
mile north of New Market right and left of the turn 
pike leading to Mount Jackson. During this time I sent 
two officers, Captains McEstee and T. G. Putnam back to 
Gen. Sullivan who was in command of the infantry 
division, with orders to bring forward all his troops 
without delay, and at the moment when Col. Moor was 
approaching the new line from his position in advance, 
it was reported to me by Capt. R. G. Pendergast, com- 
mander of my escort, whom I also had sent back to hurry 
the troops up that all the infantry and artillery of Gen. 
Sullivan had arrived (the head of the column being in 
sight) and that they were waiting for orders. 

(357) Supposing this report to be correct, I formed 
the line of battle, Col. Thoburn's brigade and two bat- 
teries on the right, while Col. Moor was ordered to form 
on the left of Thoburn. The Twelfth West Virginia, 
and Dupont's battery took position behind the right of 
Thoburn's brigade as a reserve, and two companies of the 
Twelfth West Virginia were posted behind the batteries 
on the right for their support, Von Kleiser's battery was 
in the center of the line, Ewing's on the left, and the 
cavalry behind the extreme left and some behind the 
center. My own position during the battle was in the 
line between the batteries on the right, and the Thirty- 
fourth Massachusetts (Col. Wells) as on the right the 
principal attack of the enemy was directed. W r ith me 
was an orderly, a young man of 17 years who held 
bravely out during the whole fight. My staff officers 
were some distance behind the line, near Dr. Rice's house. 

(358) The battle which now followed has been de- 
scribed in "Battles and Leaders of the Civil War," and 
therefore, I need not go into details. I simply desired to 
show that I was neither surprised, nor did I accept the 
engagement without good reason and full deliberation. 

112 



V/EST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY 

But in accepting it on the place and ground it was 
fought, I was misled by the report of Capt. I'endegrast 
in whom I trusted, as he was an efficient and brave 
officer. He reported two regiments the One Hundred 
and Sixteenth and the Twenty-eighth Ohio present and 
awaiting orders, while we found them, after the battle, at 
R tide's Hill, one and a half miles back from our line. I 
am ignorant up to this day of what was the unfortunate 
cause which kept them back, as I was relieved soon after 
the battle, and had no opportunity of investigating the 
matter. 

(359) There were some other disadvantages against 
ns in this battle, but after all, our troops fought bravely 
and so did those of the enemy. We lost 93 in killed 
and 552 in wounded, the enemy 42 and 522 respectively. 

(360) After the battle we retreated to Rude's Hill, 
formed line and remained about half an hour, whence 
we withdrew to Mount Jackson, which was done slowly 
and in perfect order. We remained there for two hours, 
during which time as Lietu. Col. Lincoln says in his 
"Life with the Thirty- fourth Massachusetts Regiment," 
the men ate their supper, the injured were looked up, their 
wounds examined and dressed and the slightly wounded 
placed in ambulances for transportation. Those more 
severely wounded were disposed of in the hospital build- 
ings of Mount Jackson, and left under charge of Asst. 
Surgeon Allen of the Thirty-fourth. These arrange- 
ments completed at about 9 P. M., the column was again 
put in motion, the Thirty-fourth bringing up the rear. 

(361) It will be seen from these statements that we 
did not "flee in disorder" from our position at Rude's 
Hill to Mount Jackson and Cedar Creek, nor lose or burn 
any wagons, nor "forsake" our sick and wounded, as 
was publicly proclaimed at the time, nor did the enemy 
capture any muskets except those of our killed and 
severely wounded, left on the field. 

(362) We were beaten but not disheartened. We 



113 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

went back to Cedar Creek, because all our ambulances 
were rilled with the wounded whom we could not trans- 
port without a strong force of protection, and for the 
purpose of disengaging ourselves of a train of 200 
wagons destined for Gen. Crook. We reached Edinburg 
at 7 o'clock in the morning and Strasburg at 5 in the 
evening of the 16th. 

(363) On the 17th an ambulance was sent to Mount 
Jackson by flag of truce loaded with supplies for our 
wounded. On the 18th, a detachment of infantry, cavalry 
and artillery, under Col. Wells of the Thirty-fourth Mas- 
sachusetts, was sent to Strasburg and the cavalry ad- 
vanced to Fisher's Hill, the pickets of the enemy retiring 
before them. On the same day reinforcement were 
approaching from Harpers Ferry, and I sent a telegram to 
Gen. Crook on the Kanawha to prepare for an ad- 
vance. On the 20th, Gen. Hunter arrived and on the 21st, 
I was relieved from the command of the department and 
by the request of Gen. Hunter took command of Reserve 
Division, with headquarters at Harpers Ferry. 

(364) As to the Twelfth West Virginia, it consisted 
of good and brave officers and men. It was very well 
drilled in the manual of arms ; but as was natural, con- 
sidering the little time they had practiced it, deficient in 
battalion drill ; so that it was difficult for me at the 
commencement of the battle to bring them from line into 
colum and vice versa. This created considerable trouble 
at the beginning of the fight when they left their position 
in reserve, came forward and fired over the heads of 
the Thirty-fourth Massachusetts. I do not believe that 
Col. Curtis gave them the order to do so. * * * But 
such things happen sometimes with inexperienced troops, 
and I am very glad to know that the regiment, under 
its same brave commander, fully redeemed its honor by 
its gallant conduct in the battle of Piedmont and on other 
occasions. 

(365) Our whole campaign and especially the battle of 



114 



WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY 

New Market, were a wholesome lesson for them and 
prepared them to become what they afterward were. 

(306) I think I have now given you the most import- 
ant facts and features of the case; and assure you that I 
shall always remember with kindness and gratitude the 
services of the Twlefth West Virginia. 

Very Truly Yours, 

F. SIGEL, 
Late Maj. Gen. of Vols. 

(367) According to Pond before cited, General W. S. 
Lincoln, of the Thirty-fourth Massachusetts infantry 
shows that the aggregate of Breckinridge's infantry the 
day after the battle aws 4,047. We therefore musthavehad 
about 4,500 infantry in the battle as according to Rebel 
authority (See Pond) they had no reserves. It would 
appear therefore that we were out numbered, we having 
only five regiments of infantry so disposed and handled 
as to be effective; while the enemy had three brigades 
and the Cadet battalion of infantry. Our infantry and 
artillery had to stand the brunt of the battle and it is no 
disparagement to them under the circumstances that they 
were worsted in the engagement, 

(368) Whatever may be said of Sigel's generalship 
regarding the battle of New Market, it must be said that 
he acted bravely; was right in the thick of the fight all 
the time and after the battle began did the best he could 
to save the day. And in view of the heavy losses sus- 
tained on each side in the battle, and our slow and orderly 
retreat to Cedar Creek, the following message sent to 
Grant by Hallick : "Sigel is in full retreat on Strasburg. 
He will do nothing but run ; never did anything else," 
is markedly untrue and undeserved, and so far as it seems 
to imply that Sigel was cowardly, is grossly unjust, as 
his entire command at New Market would testify. 

(369) A day or two after Sigel's command had fallen 
back to Cedar Creek. He called on the Twelfth to fur- 
nish a squad of volunteer scouts to go up the Valley and 

115 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

learn what the strength of the enemy in our front was. 
Corporal De Bee, of the regiment and six or eight men 
vounteered to go. They went to Sigel's headquarters for 
instructions. He told them to go into a house and put 
on citizens cloths and go right into the enemy's camp 
and learn their strength. The boys answer "Yes," as if 
to say that the understood and would do so ; but at the 
same time there was an unexpressed conclusion that they 
were not anxious to wear citizens cloths on that trip and 
they would forego that pleasure. 

(370) The scouts started out on that expedition 
traveling nearly all of that day, along on North Moun- 
tain, it is believed. After they had traveled a while, three 
or four of the squad concluded that they would turn back, 
which they did, but the rest of the boys being more pluck- 
kept on, and in the evening they came in sight of the 
Rebel camp. In the morning the boys found such a posi- 
tion as from which they could view the entire camp of 
the enemy, and they carefully counted the number of 
tents they had, and then started on the return to Cedar 
Creek, arriving there sometime during the day. When 
thev reached our pickets they (the latter) not being of 
the Twelfth and not knowing the scouts, sent them into 
camp under guard. The scouts reported to Sigel that 
they had found the Rebel camp, giving its locality and 
said that they counted the number of tents in it, teiling 
the nmber, Sigel complimented Corporal De Bee and his 
comrades for what they had done saying that they had 
given him more information than he had got from all 
the cavalry that had been out scouting. 

(371) Here is a humorous incident of the battle of New- 
Market that was current among the boys afterward. As 
well as can be recalled it was told thus : Col. Wells of 
the Thirty-fourth Massachusetts was a strict disciplinear- 
ian, but in defiance of this fact the boys of his regiment 
would sometimes fire off their guns in camp. In such 
cases he was want to say "Orderly, orderly go and 

116 



WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY 

ascertain who fired that gun and report him to me 
immediately." 

(372) This order of the Colonel's having been 
repeated in the same stereotyped language at different 
times impressed itself upon the minds of the boys of 
the Thirty-fourth and became a matter of remark and 
jest among them. Well at the battle of New Market 
when the battle was opening and the first gun or so 
was fired, some fellow that regiment with character- 
istic American humor, who was bound to have his joke 
if it was to be his last on earth yelled out. "Orderly, 
orderly, go and ascertain who fired that gun and report 
him to me immediately." 

(373) Comrade Jas. N. Miller, of Company A. taken 
prisoner at the battle of New Market tells of an incident 
of the battle, and his prison experience as follows : 

(374) The first man killed in Company A, if I remem- 
ber rightly, was John A. Christman. He was a recruit, 
who came to us at Harpers Ferry, in the winter of 
1863-64. He was a light hearted fellow, somewhat 
reckless, who carried a fiddle often playing and singing. 
At the battle of New Market as we were going into the 
fight, Christman and I were in file together. The bat- 
tle had begun and the cannons were booming. He said to 
me in his jovial way, "Hickory" — that was the nick- 
name the boys gave me because I was "tough" physically 
— "I hope I will be killed to day.' I said to him as 
calmly as I could for my heart was up in my throat like 
a great lump. "Christman, you oughtn't to talk that 
way." "Well," he replied, "I don't care." 

(375) We lay down along side of a battery which 
was firing and I saw Gen. Sigel on his horse giving 
orders to "fire percussion!" The fortune of war threw 
Christman in the front rank and he being a large man, 
and I a slender boy, I crouched down behind him. The 
Rebels were charging upon us, and about the first ball 
that came near us struck Christman in the breast : and 



117 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

he died without a sound. After the fight in which I 
was captured, I helped to carry his body off the field 
and into a little stable or some kind of an out building - , 
and I supposed it was buried by the Rebels. 

(376) After the death of Christman and before we 
got a chance to return the fire of the Rebels our com- 
pany was ordered to the right of the line to prevent a 
flank movement. This threw us over a hill into a 
woods, and we did not notice that the main line was 
being driven back until it was quite a distance away. 
Then when we discovered this we "skedaddled" as fast 
as our legs would carry us. 

(377) Becoming exhausted I fell behind. 'Seeing 
three fellows in blue cloths in a field to the right, I sup- 
posed they were some of our boys, and got over a fence 
next to them. They aimed their guns at me and yelled 
out to surrender. I first thought I would jump back 
over the fence and try to escape, but I saw it was no 
use, and held up my hand. They had on homespun 
cloths of blueish color. One of them, a sergeant of a 
Georgia regiment, took me to the rear, and treated me 
very kindly allowing me to pick up a haversack and a 
blanket, and this latter probably saved my life. 

(378) I reached Andersonville the 29th of May, and 
endured with others the oft-told horrors of that place. 
It took the scurvey and the diarrhoea but on the 10th 
of September I managed to "flank out," in company 
with Sergeant Rodgers and Col. Cooke of the Eighteenth 
Pennsylvania cavalry, who had known me at Waynes- 
burg in their state. Instead of being exchanged I was 
sent wth others to Florence, Ala. Here there was no 
prison ready for us, and by getting some of the pure 
air of that place and also some vegetables I got better 
of the scurvey. Sergeant Rodgers ran the guards here 
and got away, and I would have gone with him, but 
my leg was bent nearly double with the scurvy, so that 
I knew that I would hinder him and we would both 
be captured. 

118 



WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY 

(379) On the 8th of December, I was paroled with 
a thousand of the sick and sent to Charleston Harbor, 
S. C, and transferred to our lines. I never was 
exchanged, so I suppose I am still a prisoner of the 
Southern Confederacy. 

(380) The hardest thing- in all my prison life was to 
feel that as a soldier I was practically useless except to 
aid in keeping some Rebel soldiers out of the field. 
While our regiment was winning its first victory at 
Piedmont and enduring the terrible march from Lynch- 
burg and helping the peerless Sheridan to send Jubal 
Early "whirling" up the Valley, I was lying in the sands 
at Andersonville and Florence, missing all the glorious 
record of the regiment. But it was the fate of war. 
So far as the chances of death were concerned, however, 
the percent of mortality was greater in prison than in 
the field. 

(381) I could write many pages of incidents in prison 
life but one must suffice. At Florence there was some 
clothing sent through the lines to us by our Sanitary 
Commission. It was given out to the most needy, and 
there wasn't much choice. I tore my only shirt (which 
I hadn't washed for three months) up into strips so 
that it barely hung together, in order that I might get 
a new one. The first day of the distribution I gave it 
to one of my companions — I think it was Freeman 
Youkin — and he went up to where the clothing was being 
distributed, and came back with a new shirt which he 
got on the strength of his (my) old one. The next day 
my detachment was called and when the distributing 
officers reached me he asked me if that was my only 
shirt. I replied that it was. "Well," he said, "you had 
better get a needle and thread and sew it up. for you 
can't get another new shirt on the strength of that one." 
So I got left. 

(382) Private W. C. Mahan of Company I, tells the 
story of his being taken prisoner and his prison life as 
follows : 

119 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

(383) At the battle of New Market Private Wm. 
Thompson of my company was badly wounded, his leg 
being broken by a musket ball. Another man of the 
company and I started to carry him off the field. We 
were told that we would find the ambulances at a certain 
place, but we failed to find them ; and having to carry 
the wounded man we feel behind, and were captured. 
At night, we the able prisoners, were allowed to go 
under guard out over the field to hunt up our wounded. 
A Captain of the Thirty-fourth Massachusetts, who was 
himself wounded, found his brother on the field wounded. 
I recall to mind that I saw the Rebel Gen. Breckinridge 
talking to this Captain. Some of our wounded were 
put into an old house that night and our unwounded 
carried water to them. 

(384) We, the prisoners, were taken via. Staunton to 
Lynchburg. We were kept at this latter place for a 
few days. Here one day two of our men got to talking 
about somebody with whose conduct on the way here, 
I believe they were displeased, using some pretty severe 
terms about him. The guard who was nearest them, a 
quite young fellow, thinking or pretending to think that 
they were talking about him though they were neither 
talking to, nor about him, shot one of the men, killing 
him. It seemed as though this young Rebel thought 
that he had done a great thing in killing a Union soldier, 
for he, insisting on doing so, followed the box with the 
corps, to the grave. Some of the other Rebels con- 
demned the conduct of this young fellow as being bar- 
barous and brutal. 

(385) We were taken from here to Andersonville by 
rail. We got along very slowly, being detained on the 
way by the enemy's use of the road in carrying their own 
soldiers and etc. We were perhaps a week or ten days 
on the way. At one time, we were two days without 
food. During one of our delays on the route the Rebel 
women brought food for their own men, but none for 

120 



WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY 

us. They had a little darkey boy with them, who waved 
a Rebel flag at us. Both he, and the women seemed 
to enjoy the demonstration very much, he grinning and 
they laughing as he waved. 

(386) The prison camp at Anderson ville was enclosed 
by a stockade about 16 feet high of heavy timbers set on 
end, and so closely fitted together that you could 
scarcely see between them. Inside, of this was the "dead 
line," 40 feet distant perhaps. It was marked by a row 
of posts and stringers of timber extending along on top 
of them from post to post. On top of the stockade of 
intervals there were sentry boxes placed, in which the 
sentries or guards stood. Outside this stockade, at a 
suitable distance there was another stockade, com- 
manding the first with loop holes in it through which to 
fire at the prisoners, in case they should try to scale the 
inner one. 

(387) The prisoners were formed into companies of 
90 men each. Three of these companies were formed 
into a division, and the companies were subdivided in 
squads of 30 each. At first I believe it was not the case 
that they were thus formed ; but the necessity of having 
a divide of the scant rations, approaching somewhere 
near fairness, demanded some sort of organization 
among the prisoners. 

(388) It was necessary for a prisoner to know to what 
company and the number of the squad to which he 
belonged in order that he might get his rations, or 
even get out to be exchanged. When a lot of prisoners 
was to be sent out of camp to be exchanged or sup- 
posedly so, if a prisoner were not present to answer his 
name, someone else would answer for him and get out, 
and the prisoner named would be left. Getting out in 
this way was called "flanking out." 

(389) Whenever a lot of prisoners arrived they would 
right away, be organized as above, each division company 
and squad having a chief chosen. When the rations 

121 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

were to be divided the chief of a division would divide 
them into three lots, one lot for each of his companies. 
He would then have the chiefs of the latter turn their 
backs to the ration ; when he would ask each. "Will you 
take this lot?" and they would choose without seeing 
which lot was indicated. The companies and squads 
divided in the same way, the latter dividing among the 
individuals. The squad chiefs were frequently changed, 
because they would often inform a friend before hand 
which ration to choose. 

(390) We got raw rations (corn meal) and cooked 
week about. The flies here were very bad, and when the 
Rebel cooks would make up a batch of dough and lay 
it down, the flies would gather thickly on it, then they 
would slap another batch on the first to kill the flies. In 
this way our bread got full of flies and looked like bread 
with currants or raisins in it. The same wagons that 
were used to haul our dead were used to haul our bread. 

(391) The trading instinct was not altogether devoid 
of exercise here. Enterprising soldiers would trade bread 
for meal and get more meal than made the bread. Some- 
times a soldier would be heard asking "Who will trade 
a bone for meat?" Those who wanted bones claimed 
that by breaking, boiling and making soup of them 
they got more nourishment from them than they couid 
get from the meat. Some of our men would even 
make bargains with a sentry, although, of course, it was 
not allowed. They would give him money to buy some- 
thing which he would perhaps do and give it to the 
prisoner furnishing the money, the next time he. the 
guard was on duty. Sweet potatoes got in this way 
would sell for 25 cents each. 

(392) There was a stream of water which ran 
through the camp, and as a matter of course it got very 
dirty, there being so many thousands of men in the 
camp. The prisoners would therefore sometimes reach 
under the dead line where the stream crossed it for 



122 



WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY 

water. One would reach under one foot, another two, 
someone else a little farther in order that they might 
get less filthy water. Perhaps the sentry on duty nearest 
the stream would permit this crossing of the dead line; 
but when another came on duty there he might fire upon 
the prisoner over the dead line without a word of 
warning. Many were killed in that way. 

(393) Everybody knows something of the many 
deaths daily occurring in prison here. Our men used 
to be anxious to get to carry the dead out of camp, in 
order that they might thus get some fire wood. This 
privilege was permitted for awhile, but when the 
Yankees began to play the trick of carrying out late in 
the evening a comrade assuming death, and the Rebels 
would go out in the morning to bury him and find him 
gone, this privilege was stopped, commandant Wirtz 
declaring that he would have to get to putting ball-and- 
chains on the d — d dead Yankees, as some of them would 
run off after they were dead. Another scheme of the 
prisoners in order to draw the rations of a dead com- 
rade, and thus add to the aggregate, of the scanty supply 
of their squads, was to not report his death. The Rebels 
learning of this practice of the prisoners in order to pre- 
vent it, resorted to frequent counting of them. 

(394) One of the prisoners with whom I became ac- 
quainted was a member of the Ringgold cavalry, which 
was from Washington County, Pennsylvania. He was 
of a jovial disposition and was called "Happy Jack." He 
used to stand at the gate where the dead were taken out, 
count their numbers for a day — the great mortality seems 
to have suggested this idea — and from the total he 
would calculate when his chances for being taken out a 
corpse would come. 

(395) For a time there was much stealing in camp, 
incited no doubt largely by the dire necessities of the 
men ; but after awhile we got police appointed to stop 
the stealing, which they did, and to attend to other mat- 

123 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

ters. For instance the "Hundred Days Men" seemed to 
not endure the hardships here so well as the old soldiers. 
They would mope and set around they died relatively 
much faster than the old soldiers. When the police would 
see one of those dispirited fellows they would fasten on 
his back a wooden contrivance that they called a "spread- 
eagle" to keep him from sitting down, and they would 
make him move about for his health. 

(396) We were kept somewhat informed as to the 
progress of the war by the arrival from time to time of 
some of our men who had been recently made prisoners. 

(397) There is no tragedy so dark but it has its re- 
lieving features. And one of the comic ways the pris- 
oners had of beguiling the time was this : One of them 
would run his hand into his shirt bosom and say inquir- 
ingly to another. "Grey back or no grey back?" As if 
he were playing "Odd-or-even." The addressed would 
perhaps answer "No grey back," when the propser of the 
guess would likely say, "You have missed it," pulling 
out one. 

(398) After being kept here for some months, though 
I did not get so like a skeleton as some, my flesh became 
in so unhealthy a state from having the scurvy, that when 
I would press my finger on it, the print would remain for 
a long time as if my flesh were putty. I got to be one of 
the very sick. 

(399) At the end of my imprisonment here of about 
four months, the sickest of the prisoners, or a part of 
them, were taken out to be exchanged. I came very nearly 
not getting out that time, for my name was close to the 
end of the list of names called. We were taken first to 
Millin, Ga., and we stayed here a few days, the sicker part 
of us on one side of the camp, and the others on the other 
side. The prisoners would while here sit around fires all 
night, and in the morning many of them would be found 
dead where they had sat. 

(400) Once while here I went after some water. I was 

124 



WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY 

so weak that I had to use a cane. Coming back I fell and 
spilled the water. I was too weak to go for more, was 
discouraged, felt like giving up, and do not know what I 
should have done if an artillerymen of a Wheeling bat- 
tery had not brought me the water. He and I parted 
promising to write to each others friends when we should 
get home. A part of us myself included, were taken to 
Savannah where we were exchanged, changing our 
clothes here. 

(401) We were taken from here to Annapolis where 
we again changed clothing. Once more we were in God's 
country ! At Annapolis we were restristed for a few days 
as to the amount of food we got. On day at my meal I 
did not want my meat and a comrade nearby eyed it 
eagerly. At last he inquired, "Are you going to eat that 
meat?" I told him that I was not when he snapped it up 
quickly. 

(402) When I got to Annapolis one of the first men I 
saw was "Happy Jack." He was much changed by his 
hardships but I knew him by his black curly hair. His 
buoyant spirits had brought him through. 

(403) I got home after the frosts of the fall of the year 
had come. I wrote according to promise to the Wheeling 
artilleryman's friends. His sister answered my letter that 
he was killed on board of a government steamer on his 
way home up the Mississippi by its explosion. 

(404) Thus ends my story of prison life at Anderson- 
ville. No attempt is made to give anything like an ade- 
quate account of it — that could not be done — but rather 
I have tried mainly after 27 years have passed to recall 
some of the matters concerning it. that I do not remem- 
ber to have read about in any account that I have seen. 



125 



CHAPTER VIII. 

(405) On the isth of May, our regiment and the 
Thirty-fourth Massachusetts with two pieces of artillery 
moved from Cedar Creek, five or six miles up the Valley 
to Fisher's Hill, and occupied it as a picket. Gen. Sigel 
came out to our camp there. The next day the two regi- 
ments fell back two or three miles to Strasburg and occu- 
pied an old fort there built by Gen. Banks. We re- 
ceived today mail — always a welcome receipt to the boys, 
the first since leaving Winchester, ten days before. In 
the evening the Thirty-fourth band came to the head- 
quarters of the Twelfth to give us a serenade. Speeches 
were made by Col. Curtis, Adjt. Caldwell and Capt. 
Smiley of our regiment. 

(406) On the 2nd, Gen. Sigel was relieved from com- 
mand here and Gen. Hunter assigned to his place. Three 
days later we were reinforced at Cedar Creek by three 
more regiments of infantry, the Second Maryland, the 
Fourth Virginia and the One Hundred and Sixtieth Ohio, 
and about this time, or a little later we were further rein- 
forced by the Fifth New York heavy artillery. 

(407) On the 25th, we drew ten days' rations of coffee 
and sugar and three days' rations of hard bread. The 
troops from Cedar Creek' came up, all having had march- 
ing orders. We were now about to start on the memorable 
campaign against Lynchburg. Hunter had issued his 
famous order announcing to his troops that they were 
about to enter on an explosion of hardships, in which 
they would have to live off the enemy, and if need be to 
eat mule meat. The infantry were required to carry each 
man SO or 100 rounds of ammunition. A little after noon 
of this day the great march began of what was known 
as Hunter's raid. We camped in the evening near Wood- 
stock. On the way the cavalry burned a house and barn, 

127 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

by orders of Gen. Hunter, the owner having been engaged 
in bushwhacking. 

(408) On the 29th we resumed our march passing 
through Edinburg and Mount Jackson, crossing the Shen- 
andoah here on a bridge newly built by the Rebels to 
replace the one burnt by Sigel and camped near New 
Market and the ground of the battle of two weeks before. 
Some members of the regiment looked over the battle 
field. They found that our dead had been buried in a heap 
where some stone had been quarried out. The dead of 
the enemy that had not been taken to their homes, had 
been buried in the cemetery at New Market. The enemy 
had left 31 of our wounded at this town and vicinity, who 
it had appeared had been quite well taken care of. This 
night our regiment went on picket on the bridge over the 
river in our rear. 

(409) The second day after our arrival here, two com- 
panies of the Twelfth I and K were detailed to fill in with 
stone the wodden abuttments of the bridge, and the 
Thirty- fourth Massachusetts went out foraging; thus 
making a beginning of living off the enemy. 

(410) We remained here until June 2nd, when we 
marched at 5 o'clock A. M. our regiment in the rear of the 
wagon train, arriving at Harrisburg in the evening, our 
advance having driven Imboden out of town. The Rebels 
left some sixty of our wounded and thirty of theirs here, 
brought up from New Market. Distance marched this 
day 24 miles. 

(411) On the 4th, we marched from here taking the 
pike leading to Staunton, but Hunter finding Imboden 
posted about seven miles ahead at Mount Crawford 
after examining this position, turned to the left taking a 
side road leading via Port Republic. Seven miles from 
Harrisburg we came to Cross Keys where the forces of 
Fremont and Jackson fought on June 8th, 1862, and a 
little farther on to where the Rebel Col. Ashy wabs killed. 
At Port Republic on the south branch of the Shenan- 

128 



WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY 

doah our pioneers put a pontoon bridge over the river 
on which we crossed and marched about one mile on the 
road leading to Staunton. 

(412) Early in the morning of the 5th, we resumed our 
march, but did not go far until our cavalry began skir- 
mishing with the Rebels, driving them and capturing a 
number of prisoners. It may be well to say here that an 
Irish woman, who accompanied the First New York 
cavalry was noticed helping tenderly to bury some of the 
killed "my (her) boys" of that regiment that morning. 

(413) Seven miles from Port Republic we found the 
Rebels in force, consisting of the commands of Generals 
Vaughn and Imboden, and a number of militia, number- 
ing in all, as learned from prisoners, between 8,000 and 
9,000 men, all under the command of Gen. W. E. Jones. 
Hunter's command consisted in all of 8,500 men, the 
infantry in two brigades the First commanded by Col. 
Moor, and the Second by Col. Thoburn. The cavalry 
were under command of Gen. Stahl, the infantry under 
Gen. Sullivan. 

(414) The enemy • were posted on either side of the 
pike their right drawn back somewhat. They had breast- 
works of rails extending at least from the pike to the 
Middle river on their left, several hundred yards distant. 
Hunter made disposition for battle at once, and the 
engagement that followed is known as the Battle of 
Piedmont. The First Brigade was formed on the right 
of the pike, and the Second Brigade on the left. The 
opposing forces faced each other from either side from the 
edge of woods, with several hundred yards of cleared land 
between. 

(415) The battle began. It was opened by the artillery 
from each side. The Twelfth and the Thirty-fourth 
Massachusetts of Thoburn's brigade were ordered for- 
ward through the woods, on the left of the pike, with a 
view to charging some of the enemy's artillery: when, 
being discovered they were vigorously shelled by the 

129 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

enemy. After awhile they were brought back to the 
point where they had entered the woods. While waiting 
here for the coming of the balance of their brigade Col- 
onels Thoburn and Curtis and Adjt. G. B. Caldwell with 
their orderlies, rode out into the open ground forming a 
group, for the purpose of watching the effect of the 
artillery fire. They were discovered by the Rebels, who 
threw a shell right into their midst, which exploding took 
off teh fore-leg of the Adjutant's little mare. That group 
immediately dispersed. 

(416) The other regiments having come up. Col Tho- 
burn moved his brigade forward in the open ground 
into a slight hollow, within 200 yards of the enemy 
for the purpose of making a flank charge upon him. 
While the infantry were moving forward into this 
position, the artillery on each side opened up a heavy 
fire, and the Rebel band played "Dixie," while ours 
played "Yankee Doodle." Just before the charge that 
gallant young officer Capt. Meigs, of Hunter's staff rode 
backward and forward along the line encouraging the 
men to do their duty on this charge, and the day would 
be ours ; that they must not hesitate or falter but go 
right through, that we were now a hundred miles from 
our lines, and that defeat would be disastrous. The 
First Brigade had made three charges right in the face 
of the Rebel front and had been repulsed. But we will 
let Adjt. G. B. Caldwell of the Twelfth tell the story 
of the battle in his graphic and enthusiastic way, as it 
came red hot from his pen a few days after for the 
J J 'heeling Intelligencer; or more particularly of the part 
taken in the engagement by the Twelfth. The letter 
was written from the headquarters of the regiment at 
Staunton and is as follows : 

(417) This regiment moved from camp at Port Re- 
public at 6 o'clock A. M., June 5, 1864. Our force-. 
marching forward towards Staunton some four mile", 
our cavalry became engaged and drove the enemy a 

130 



WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY 

distance of one and a half miles, suffering a loss of 
thirty, killed and wounded. Capt. Imboden a brother 
of the general's was taken here. The ball then opened 
by the loud mouthed artillery bellowing forth, both Union 
and Rebel in hellish dialogue of die death answering 
each other's thunderous salutations. Post the crack- 
ling and roaring of Rebel woolen factories, consumed 
by flames kindled by the land of Union retributive jus- 
tice; past the roaring batteries; past Carlin's braves 
stripped to the shirt sewing out iron vengeance to 
traitors, the Second Brigade, our fearless, cool and 
sound-judging Col. Joe Thoburn commanding, marched 
a mile to the very front, forming the left of our force. 
The position was 150 yards from the Rebel lines drawn 
up behind a fortification of fence rails, so arranged as to 
make perfect protection against musketry. Here for one 
hour and a half in a woods at one and one-half miles 
range, the two twenty pounder Parrott guns of the 
enemy were served entirely against us with all possible 
rapidity and great precision, amid the tremendous ex- 
plosion of shell, the profuse of rain of case shoe the 
fall of trees and limbs, amid wounded and dying among 
all these combinations of horror, with not a gun fired 
by us and no excitement to cause a wild carelessness of 
danger, our line never wavered. 

( lis) The First Brigade (our right) being heavily 
pressed moved us in retreat perhaps half a mile unde- 
tected by the enemy. This manouver was admirably 
masked in the woods like our advance before in the 
morning. A wide hollow whose descending sides were 
open fields stretched between the First and Second 
Brigades. Across this we must go. Our batteries open 
their fiercest fire, from hill to hill leap the ponderous black 
messengers of destruction, the reverberations of half a 
hundred guns on both sides, brought into action by the 
endeavor our batteries make to attract the attention of 
the enemy's ordnance, make earth tremble, and the air 

131 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

roar while we run the fiery gauntlet to reinforce our 
right. With unbroken lines we march over with steady 
tread. 

(419) The Rebels occupy a woods in whose edge 
they have as on their right, an admirably improptu fence 
barricaded. Up we go to within 100 yards, lie down, 
fire and draw the Rebel fire. Men are struck all along 
the line. Most of the enemy's rifles are empty. Springing 
to their feet and cheering wildly the men rush forward 
and over the parapet. Our color bearer plants that banner 
of holy hopes and hallowed memories right where the 
sheet of Rebel flame runs crackling along, and mounting 
up cries, "Come on boys here's where I want you." Glor- 
iously forward we go right into the woods our flag the 
first our regiment the foremost, the Rebels contending in 
a hand to hand struggle. Prisoners stream to the rear 
by the hundreds. Other regiments come to our support. 

(420) The character of the conflict is attested by 
bayoneted Rebel dead. The emblematic rags of treason 
their battle flags, a few minutes before planted in the 
dirt. They flee in utter rout and one wild shout of "Vic- 
tory is ours !" runs along for more than a mile through 
infantry, artillery, cavalry, through stragglers and wagon 
trains, till the very wounded in the hospitals cheer again 
and again. The conduct of the men cannot be too much 
praising. Often a soldier would press forward so fur- 
iously as to be enclosed single-handed among a mass of 
Rebels, surrendering to be recaptured instantly by his 
advancing comrades. The whole Rebel force having fled, 
we camped for the night in the woods among the Rebel 
dead, too numerous to be buried till the morrow. 

(421) Thirty ambulances constantly running with the 
attendants, cannot collect all the wounded into hospitals, 
even in the long hours of this summer afternoon and 
evening. They have from two to three to our one in 
killed and wounded, and 1,000 able bodied prisoners, 60 
officers, four or five colonels, Brig. Gen. Jones, their com- 

132 



WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY 

rnanded killed, 1,700 stand of arms, four or five stand 
of colors and last and best Staunton grace our triumph. 

(422) And here let me pause to pay a tribute to the 
memory of one of our own country's martyrs in our 
holy cause, our color bearer Corporal Joseph S. Halstead 
A braver spirit never bore the banner of beauty and 
glory forward amid the bursting shells and the leaden 
rain of death. With comrades falling all around him 
he went ahead of the bravest, ahead of his brigade. The 
head and front of that terrific charge into the jaws of 
death, he rushed forward and planted our flag on the 
very parapet sheeted with flames from the enemy's rifles. 
Then over and forward again goes our banner into the 
hand to hand conflict in which that glorious day's fate 
was decided. He falls at last, but if there be consolation 
in such an hour, and to a Christian and one so wholly 
a soldier as he, he has it to the full a knowledge of his 
country's glory and his own. In the moment of victory 
with a broken and dispirited enemy flying before us with 
the shouts of comrades drunk with the enthusiasm of the 
hour rendering the very sky, with the valor of our arms 
attested by the piles of grey-clothed dead and hurt 
around him with the deep heart-felt admiration of all, 
attracted by his surpassing daring, with his comrades 
standing around him in speechless and tearful sympathy, 
with prisoners streaming or crowding to the rear, col- 
onels and subordinates in traitor regalia, their perjured 
leader stricken dead by loyal vengeance, he fell at the 
very acme of our triumph, battling the flag which he had 
borne so royally to glory and to victory, with blood as 
noble as ever coursed through patriot veins. Poor 
Halstead among the brave the choicest spirit of them 
all, long will his memory be cherished and his valor in 
that hour of carnage and triumph be the theme of the 
bivonac talks of his comrades. 

(423) Col. Curtis had the pleasure of receiving the 
sword of a Virginia regiment's colonel, whose surrender 

133 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

he demanded. One of our Marshall county boys had the 
honor- of bringing a Rebel colonel "to time." He, the 
Marshall county boy is a young fellow of about 17. 
Another from Hancock county, I. N. Cullen, (Comp.) 
had a grey header Confed bring a musket to his breast 
with an order to surrender. He threw the musket aside 
and twisted it out of the old fellow's hands, then kicking 
him over the parapet and out of the woods saying, "Old 
man you're too old for me to bayonet." Another Ohio 
county boy mounted the parapet in the charge and look- 
ing down on the Rebs, says "Lookout Johnnys we're 
coming down on you like a thousand of brick" That 
was funny at such a time — It was "in the cool." 

(424) In the morning before the fight. Gen. Jones 
drew his men up and told them that we were going to 
avenge Fort Pillow, that to surrender would be to die; 
and such stuff for an hour. If anything was wanting 
1c prove the superior humanity of the Union soldiers 
or the barbarism induced in the South by slavery here it 
might have been found. First Sergeant Hart Marks, 
of Company K, accepted the surrender of a Rebel lieu- 
tenant and passed on to the front. The Rebel drew a 
revolver from under his coat and shot him, fortunately 
slightly, in the back, yet our boys spared him. I know 
of more such cases, several. Marks shortly afterwards 
received two wounds, one in side, and one in the shoulder, 
the last having passed through a twisted blanket, while 
charging the woods, the Rebels being behind the trees. 
Another of our regiment, the eccentric Barney Wyles, 
pressed ahead too far and was surrounded ; he sur- 
rendered but his captor shot at him after surrender, with 
a revolver, cutting his clothes. Our men rushed on him, 
wrested the revolver from him, and then spared him. All 
evening could you see Union soldiers feeding wounded 
Rebels, and food was scarce with us then, having to come 
all in the shape of forage. In every regiment a number 

134 



WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY 

cf instances can be given of such treachery as above. 
Could any contrast be greater? 

(425) The clay after the fight we came to this place. 
I wish that some of our copperheads, who have "nigger 
on the brain" could come here. You have heard that 
southern people are darkened by their sun. One can 
hardly tell which are the whites — not that the whites are 
so black, but that the blacks are so white. Miscegnation 
is played out. At this place 1,700 rifles were captured 
and therewith a government armory; cotton factories, 
commissary stores, railroad buildings and bridges were 
burnt. A brass field piece was found here all right. Two 
100 pound guns were rendered useless, by thetrunions' 
being broken off. But I cannot enumerate one-half the 
damage, and will leave that to more general corre- 
spondents. 

(420) I append a list of killed and wOunded in this 
regiment. In addition to this list David Severe, Com- 
pany G, was killed. I have just heard on picket this 
morning, that Corporal W. L. Herbert and Frank Metz 
were captured, both of the same company as Severe. 

(427') Returns of killed and wounded and missing of 
the Twelfth regiment. West Virginia Volunteer Infan- 
try in the battle of Piedmont, Virginia, on the 5th of 
June, 1864. 

COMPANY A. 

KILLED — First Sergeant Wm. H. Leach, Privates 
Lawis Manning, Geo. L. Jones and Reuben G. Boyd. 

WOUNDED — Capt. Hagar Tomlinson, left leg- 
flesh wound ; Sergeant John G. Jones, fourth finger, left 
hand off; Corporal George Orum, head slightly; Private 
Thos. M. Turner, left thigh, severely; Private Wm. F. 
Magers, right hand, slightly. 

COMPANY B. 
WOUNDED— James B. Manning, left thigh, flesh 
wound. 

135 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

COMPANY C. 

WOUNDED — Corporal Benjamin Chambers, left 
arm, flesh wound ; Corporal Wilson Chambers, upper part 
left breast, not dangerous; Wm. H. Ambercrombie, shot 
through both cheeks, severely ; Francis M . Gray, left thigh 
broken, dangerously; John Dacon, left breast, danger- 
ously ; Geo. Barnes, right arm, flesh wound ; Isaac N. 
Fisher, second finger right hand ; Harmon Crow, right 
hand, slight. 

COMPANY D. 

KILLED — Sergeant A. R. Gilmore, Corporal Joseph 
S. Halstead, color bearer; Pri :vates, C. W. Hamilton 
and Robert J. Anderson. 

WOUNDED— Corporal Daniel Maxwell, top of 
head, severely, but not dangerously; Corporal E. M. 
Adams, left shoulder slightly; Jno. W. Murray, right 
arm, severely. 

COMPANY E. 

KILLED— Corporal Jno. H. Wildham.. 

WOUNDED — Privates Jno. H. Bennett, right leg, 
severely ; and James Bachus, shot through cheeks, dan- 
gerously. 

COMPANY F. 

WOUNDED — Privates Henry Fortney, left leg, 
severely ; Robert Heiskill, right fore finger ; Ezra Wal- 
lace, left thigh, severely ; Abia Warmsley, left fore arm, 
severely; A. M. Shroyer, left fore arm severely and 
Calvin L. Flemming, right thigh, slightly. 

COMPANY G. 
KILLED— Private Wm. H. Garrittson. 
WOUNDED — Private Alphens Wyer, abdomen 
dangerously. 

COMPANY H. 
KILLED— Corporal Ed. O. Haymond. 

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WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY 

WO UNDED— Privates Archer Wood, left elbow, 
severely, and left side slightly ; Jacob Noes, right ankle, 
severely; Adam Price, shoulder, seriously; James W. 
Thomas, left, thigh, slightly; Frank McVicker, left side 
head, slightly; Jno. R. Wolfe, side head, slightly. 

MISSING— Henry Bichur. 

COMPANY I. 

KILLED — Joseph R. Lyons, Wm. Beal, Andrew 
Daugherty, Joseph B. Durbin. 

WOUNDED — Wm. H. Moore, right side, severely: 
Wm. B. Campbell, left shoulder, severely; Jno. R. Baxter, 
right breast, slightly; S. H. Minor, left thigh, flesh 
wound. 

COMPANY K. 

KILLED— A. W. White. 

WOUNDED— First Sergeant T. H. Marks, flesh 
wound in side and shoulder, slight ; Joseph Macks, left 
hand, not dangerous ; Wm. H. Holbintter, right side, 
(shell) mortally, died; Alex. McVoneha, left arm and 
wrist, flesh wound. 

MISSING— Corporal J. E. Fleming. 

Total — Eighteen, killed; 41, wounded, and two 
missing. 

(428) In addition to the foregoing letter from Adju- 
tant Caldwell, a few further details and observations 
regarding the battle may not be unworthy of mention. 
A member of Company D, in a manuscript history of the 
company says that "early on the morning of June 5th, we 
were ordered into line before some of the boys break- 
fasted. After marching a short distance, we were halted, 
brought to a front and ordered to load at will. We were 
then informed by Col. Curtis that the gnemy was near and 
that every man was expected to do his whole duty. The 
file-closers were ordered to take their positions in the rear 
of their companies. In looking along the line a determined 

137 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

expression on the countenances of both men and officers 
was notable, which boded no good to the enemy; and 
Adjt. Caldwell remarked, "The boys are full of fight 
today." 

(429) This fighting spirit manifested by the regiment 
is perhaps explainable in part by the belief confirmed by 
information got from the citizens in coming up the Valley 
that we came near whipping in the New Market battle, 
and the consequent resolution, having come so near it 
then, to whip altogether this battle. And there the fact 
that our cavalry were driving the enemys cavalry this 
morning, doubtless had something to do in working up 
the fighting mood of the men. 

(430) Col. Curtis having been mounted all day on a 
very fine horse wanted to try him in battle and see if 
he would be manageable under fire. When the order was 
given to charge he mounted him and looking over into 
the Rebel works he discovered that something had 
occurred to raise great excitement among the enemy. He 
repeated the command just given by Col. Thoburn to 
charge and shouted "Go in boys they're whipped." The 
position of the brigade, from which the charge was made 
was such that in making it the Twelfth would strike the 
right flank of the Rebel breast works extending from 
the pike to the river, at about the center of the regiment, 
compelling one-half of the men to climb over the breast 
works. But they went on cheering and shouting as they 
went, lighting among the Rebels when a hand to hand 
struggle for victory ensued for a few minutes when the 
Rebel line gave way, falling back toward the river, which 
was fordable at that point. The Twelfth followed the 
Johnnys briskley, capturing prisoners and killing those 
who refused to surrender. 

(Vol) About midway between the pike and the river, 
the Forty-fifth Virgina infantry under command of Col. 
Brown held its position at the breast works until the 

138 



WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY 

Twelfth attacked it. Col. Brown was a graduate of 
West Point; but after being educated by the government 
was now trying to destroy it. A private by the name of 
Shinn, of Harrison county, it appears, ordered him to 
surrender; which he refused to do, because the order 
came from a private, but the private had the drop on 
him and was about to shoot him when he, Brown, 
observed Col. Curtis mounted on his horse which he had 
jumped over the breast works, moving along the line 
with his regiment. Brown threw up his hands giving 
Curtis a sign which the latter understood, exclaiming "I 
will surrender to you." The boys were ordered to take 
him to the rear with the other prisoners," and on his 
way hack he took a very fine revolver from his belt and 
handing it to the boy said, "Give this to your Colonel 
with my compliments." The boy was honest and gave 
it to him and it was still in the possession of Col. Curtis 
at the time of his death. 

( 432 ) After the surrender of Col. Brown and his regi- 
ment the rout became general. Col. Halpine, Hunter's 
chief of staff is further authority for saying that the forces 
engaged in this battle were about equal, counting of the 
Rebels about 1,500 militia. Halpine says: 

(433) "The fight though not large in numbers was 
singularly obstinate and fluctuating; the enemy beating 
back repeated charges of infantry and cavalry under 
Generals Sullivan and Stahl, and it was quite late in the 
afternoon after a long and sweltering day of battle, when 
the movement of the gallant Col. Thoburn's division 
across the narrow valley and its charge up the hill upon 
the enemv's right flank decided the contest in our favor. 
But for the coming on of night and the broken heavily 
timbered nature of the country, the famous feat of 
"Lagging" that army — so popular with congressional 
orators and enthusiastic editors — might have been easily 
accomplished; for a worse whipped or more utterly 

139 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

demoralized crowd of beaten men never fled from any- 
field." 

(434) Gen. Jones, the commander of the Rebel force, 
was shot in the head and fell dead upon the field. This 
was what caused the apparent excitement among the 
Rebels, noticed by Col. Curtis, as before mentioned. The 
Rebel leader was shot just as he was getting his troops 
ready for a charge. He fell in front of the Twelfth, and 
it was supposed that some member of it fired the fatal 
shot. Among the prisoners captured was Capt. Boyd 
Faulkner, of Gen. Jones' staff. The demoralized and 
routed Rebels many of whom ran into and across the 
river, making their escape in that way, reported on their 
retreat, so we learned the next day, that the Yankees 
before the battle had been dosed and mad drunk with 
whisky and gun powder, so that they fought recklessly 
and charged upon their works regardless of the 
slaughter made in their ranks. 

(435) A comrade of Sergt. Halstead's company 
records a striking and touching incident concerning him, 
showing his devotion to patriotic duty. He was mortally 
wounded in the battle, falling upon the flag and staining 
it with his blood just after he had crossed the enemy's 
breast works. He was carried off the field of battle and 
cared for by his comrades. He lived until about 8 o'clock 
that night. Just before he died he sent for Col. Curtis 
to come and see him. The Colonel came immediately and 
kneeling by his side and taking his hand, said, "Sergeant, 
you are badly wounded." "Yes," Halstead replied, "I 
feel that I have but a few minutes to live, but before I 
die I desire to know if I have done my duty as a soldier." 
The Colonel ansewred, "Yes, you have gallantly sacrificed 
your life for your country; you could do no more." Hal- 
stead said, "Then I am ready to go," and died soon 
afterward. 

(436) This battle of Piedmont was the third engage- 

140 



WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY 

ment for the Twelfth and its first victory. It having been 
our fortune up to this time to fight our battles in the 
Shenandoah Valley, in which the Union arms had hitherto 
met with an almost uniform series of disasters, and 
which had indeed become a valley of humiliation to us 
owing to the fact that we had generally out numbered, 
the Twelfth had hitherto met with defeat. This time the 
day was ours, and we got to view the battle field instead 
of having to yield that privilege to the Johnnys ; and 
that the regiment behaved so gallantly as it did in this 
battle is all the more creditable to it that it did so in 
spite of the demoralizing tendencies of previous defeats. 

(437) Gen. Hunter was a large dark visaged stern 
man of severe aspect ; a man not at all of a sympathetic 
genial disposition, who was calculated to win the per- 
sonal attachment of men generally. He was not only 
severe in appearance but he was really so. On one 
occasion on the march to Lynchburg, a man was noticed 
as the army passed by, tied up to a tree by order of 
Gen. Hunter it was said. It is not remembered that 
any other general under whom the Twelfth served ever 
punished a soldier in like manner, by direct personal 
order. Notwithstanding Hunter's lack of popular qual- 
ities, now that he had won a victory, he was at this time 
popular with the boys ; and they were disposed to cheer 
him when he made his appearance before them. They 
were thus merely paying a tribute to success. 

(438) That night after the battle, we slept in the 
woods held by the Rebels during the battle, and owing to 
the great reaction of feeling after the fight — the letting 
down of the high tension of excitement kept up all the 
long day of strength, the boys generally slept well, though 
in some instances the moaning of an enemy wounded 
beyond relief could be heard nearby. In the morning 
we marched for Staunton some 11 miles distant, which 
place we reached that day after an easy day's march. 

141 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

After having gone about four miles on the way toward 
Staunton, we met an aid who informed us that the enemy- 
had fled from that place, and that we now had communi- 
cation with Generals Crook and Averell, who had moved 
from the Kanawha Valley, when cheer after cheer went 
up all along the line over the announcement. 

(439) On nearing Staunton we passed one or more 
houses where the occupants had hung in front of their 
homes white cloths as indicative of submission or with 
a view to securing protection. When we got into the 
town the women seemed dreadfully frightened ; some of 
them were in the streets wringing their hands and crying 
as if they were afraid the Yankees might eat them alive. 
Their conduct was in strong contrast with that of the 
women of Winchester to whom the Yankee was no new 
sight ; they being not in the least afraid of him, having 
learned that he was no dread monster. But rather they 
were, in some cases, haughty, defiant and saucy. If we 
had stayed awhile in Staunton these women would soon 
have got over their dreadful alarm, finding that they were 
as safe as with their own. 

(440) We were the first Union soldiers that had ever 
set foot in Staunton as victors. This early summer of 
1864 was marking a distinct advance or progress of the 
Union cause. Grant was planting himself firmly before 
Petersburg never to yield his ground. Sherman was 
moving on toward Atlanta and before long would capture 
that important point, we of Hunters command had 
pushed farther up the Shenandoah Valley, than any 
Union army had ever done before and we were soon to 
menace. Lynchburg, an almost vital point to the enemy, 
and a place that had never been seriously threatened 
before; thus causing the enemy to detach heavily from 
his force at Richmond to send troops into the Valley and 
to thereby prepare the way for Sheridan to gain, in the 
fall of the year, his important and telling victories, and 
thus make his great military reputation. 

142 



WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY 

(4414) After arriving at Staunton in the evening the 
Twelfth went into camp on a hill east of the town. That 
night the prisoners captured at Piedmont were confined 
in the stockade which the Rebels had used for the con- 
fining of our men. The next day, the 7th, our regiment 
was sent on the march for what reason it is not known 
on the road leading to Beverly, W. Va. When about six 
miles on the way while we were stopping for a rest, 
orders came to us to return and we marched back to 
Staunton. While remaining at this place, the large num- 
ber of prisoners we held, and our surplus wagons, with 
some of our not too severely wounded in them, were sent 
in charge of Major Samuel Adams, a quartermaster, from 
here to Webster on the Baltimore and Ohio railroad 
guarded by the Twenty-eighth Ohio infantry, whose time 
had expired. 

(442) On the morning of the 9th, Col. Curtis received 
orders from Gen. Hunter to proceed with his regiment 
-o a certain point on the railroad leading to Richmond 
to burn the brides, tear up the track, and make the road 
as difficult to repair as possible. In performing this work; 
the ties and rails were so piled up that when the ties 
were set on fire, the rails would be so bent it would 
require much labor to make them serviceable again. The 
men engaged heartily in this work. 

(443) On the morning of the 10th we set out on the 
march to Lexington our division taking one road and 
Crook's division, it having joined us two days before, 
another road to the right of ours. At Staunton large 
quantities of the enemy's tobacco had been by authority 
thrown into the streets. Nearly every man had picked 
up more than he could conveniently carry and for a day 
the army might have been tracked by the tobacco plugs 
strewn along the road. When seven miles on the road 
toward Lexington a courier came to us bearing the news 
that a large wagon train was coming with coffee and 

143 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

sugar for us, and that Grant had driven Lee inside of his 
intrenchments around Richmond. The boys, of course, 
cheered this news heartily. We camped this night at a 
place called Midway, 18 miles from Staunton, and the 
same distance from Lexington which place is situated on 
the north branch of the James river, and is the seat of 
the Virginia Military Institute. When near this latter 
town we were rejoined by Crook's force. Before we 
reached the town the Rebels burned the bridge leading 
across the river to it. After some skirmishing and a 
few shells thrown from our side the Johnnys who were 
still in the town left. But we did not enter the town 
this day. 

(444) The next morning we crossed over the river on 
a bridge constructed by the Pioneer corps and camped 
near the town. The Institute, where about two hundred 
cadets were attending at the time, Governor Letcher's 
house and some houses belonging to Rebel officers were 
burnd at this place by order of Gen. Hunter. There 
were also some iron works burned here. Stonewall Jack- 
son's grave is here at the head of which there was a pole, 
bearing a flag when we entered the town ; but the flag and 
pole somehow soon thereafter disappeared. We remained 
at Lexington two days and during this time the supply 
train referred to with rations and quartermaster's stores 
came up. 

(445) At 5 o'clock on the morning of the 14th, we 
marched taking the road leading to Buchanan in Botet- 
ourt county on the south branch of the James river. We 
passed within two and a half miles of the Natural Bridge 
over Cedar Creek and arrived at Buchanan a little after 
dark. The Rebels had burned the bridge over the river 
before leaving, but the pioneers soon made another in its 
stead, on which we crossed. According to an account 
by W. W. Foreman, of Company D, a spy, was taken 
this day, and after a court martial was shot the follow- 
ing morning. 

144 



WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY 

(446) This past day we had had a long hard marched, 
considering the .heat of the weather. Pertinent to this 
matter of hard marching this ancedote which should 
have been told sooner, is given. It will be remembered 
that when Hunter set out on this expedition the men 
were required to carry from 80 to 100 rounds of ammu- 
nition per man. Grant in assuming command of the 
armies of the United States ordered the heavy artillery- 
men to be armed as infantry and sent into the field. Some 
of these soldiers were sent to Hunter. They were given 
to straggling considerably, not being used marching, 
and besides many of them wore tightly fitting boots, which 
they had worn while in the fortifications, making the 
matter worse. One day one of these soldiers who was 
straggling behind, as we marched somewhere, in the 
Valley, was accosted by an officer, doubtless with the 
intent to reprimand him, and asked to what command he 
belonged. The soldier in allusion to the heavy amount 
of ammunition he was carrying, answered with a big 
oath, "I belong to Gen. Hunter's ammunition train." 

(447) The next day, the 15th, we resumed our march; 
but Crook's division taking the advance we did not get 
started till late in the day and marched only 11 miles this 
day, camping for the night at the Peaks of Otter. Our 
route today led over the Blue Ridge on which we saw a 
dead man in citizen's dress by the roadside, who had been 
shot by our men. It appeared that he with others had 
been felling trees across the road in front of us, and had 
been killed in the act. 

(448) Early the next morning we were en route, and 
a march of nine miles brought us to Liberty, a pretty 
little town on the Virginia and Tennessee railroad. A 
great many wounded Rebels from Lees army were in the 
hospital here. After doing considerable damage to the 
railroad, and burning the depot here, we passed on five 
miles farther, on the road toward Lynchburg and camped. 

145 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

The next day at an early hour we pushed on toward 
this city. We were now in an apparently fine country. 
It was this day or the afternoon of the day before, that 
a fine residence near the road was burned by order of 
Gen. Hunter, it appearing that our troops had been fired 
on from it. We passed through the town of New Lon- 
don. About 4 o'clock P. M., when some three miles 
from Lynchburg, Gen. Crook whose division was in 
advance, engaged the enemy at an outpost driving him 
from his intrenchments there to his inner line of defense 
and captured about 70 prisoners and two or three pieces 
of artillery. We camped upon the field. 

(449) The next morning, the 18th, we moved for- 
ward, our skirmishers driving the Rebel skirmishers, until 
we could see the enemy's fortifications within two miles 
of the city. Our division, or at least the part of it to 
which the Twelfth belonged, was on or across the Bed- 
ford road. There was no considerable fighting except 
skirmishing and shelling until about 2 P. M., when heavy 
firing was heard on our left. Hunter having attacked 
there in force. There was no fighting on our part of the 
line just at this time, but soon thereafter, the Rebels 
being observed to be getting ready to sally out of the 
works to charge us on the Bedford road, we here, at a 
brigade were massed on the left of the road in five close 
lines in the*adge of some woods, with clean open ground 
between us and the Rebel works, some 500 yards distant. 
Soon the Rebels were ready and charged us ; and at the 
same time they began shelling us. The most of the shells, 
however, crashed through the tree tops above our heads 
doing little harm. We opened fire on the charging 
column before it had come far and kept up a steady and 
continuous roaring of musketry until the Rebels broke 
and "skedadled" back to the works, which they did before 
they got half way to our lines. We repulsed them easily. 
Some soldiers, who were in the rear during this charge 



146 



WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY 

said afterward that they had never before heard so heavy 
mustketry and that they thought from the tremendous 
roar kept up that we must be getting slaughtered. Hunter 
failed to capture any of the enemy's works this day ; but 
the Rebels thought best to keep on the defensive. Our 
loss was about 200 hundred and it was thought the 
enemy's was heavy. 

(450) When the Rebels charged us on the Bedford 
road a number of men in the front line about opposite 
the center of the Twelfth, broke making quite a gap a 
dozen or so of them trying to get behind one tree. A 
number of the Twelfth boys ran forward to the gap and 
fired on the advancing Rebels. And here at this point it 
is desired to pay a tribute to an enlisted man, Sergt. 
Thomas J. Ormsby, of Company C. The soldier in the 
ranks has not been without praise but it is doubtful if 
he has had his full due relatively with the officers. Ormsby 
ran the gap going perhaps 30 feet in advance of the front 
line trusting that our own men would not shoot him. He 
was the one man, it is believed, who thus went forward 
of the 2,000 or more massed men. He wanted to watch 
the progress and outcome of the fight. When the Johnnys 
began to break he turned toward our ranks and said 
laughing, "They're running boys." 

(451) This same sergeant when a battle seemed emmi- 
nent was in the habit of talking to the men of his com- 
pany in an encouraging way, telling them to not fear, that 
we would whip them and all that. He was no bully nor 
broggart, but simply wanted to inspire the men with his 
own confidence. A soldier in another company called this 
peculiar habit of Sergt. Ormsby "preaching." One day 
when a fight was threatened this soldier called the atten- 
tion of a comrade to the sergeant's conduct saying, "Did 
you ever notice Ormsby when there is likely to be a fight ? 
Listen to him preaching to Company C. — He's the 
d dst man ever I saw." Sergt. Ormsby seemed 

147 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

almost devoid of fear. The soldier who drew attention 
to the sergeant, was afterward killed in the Valley of 
Virginia under Sheridan. 

(452) After the repulse of the Rebel charge we were 
moved from the woods and reformed into line. There 
was no more righting except skirmishing. The spirit of 
the men was still good, as was evidenced by the way 
they were disposed to expose themselves to the Rebel fire. 
Hunter, however, was just one day too late attacking 
Lynchburg, for the very day he arrived before the city, 
Early's corps arrived in it, and all night thereafter the 
Rebels were beating drums and cheering over more rein- 
forcements. It seems almost certain that if Hunter had 
been only one day earlier in his attempt against Lynch- 
burg, the place would have fallen. But after all the result 
as it was may have been best, for it led to Sheridan's 
opportunity to establish his great ability as a commander, 
to his signal victories in the Valley as before written, 
and thereby, very probably to the hastening of the down- 
fall of the rebellion. 

(453) Hunter having satisfied himself that Early's 
corps had come to the defense of the city started just after 
dark on the retreat. We marched all night stopping at 
Otter creek in the morning, the 19th, to rest and prepare 
something to eat, having marched 18 miles. After break- 
fast we marched on, passing through Liberty and camped 
three miles beyond along the line of the Virginia and 
Tennessee railroad. Now that Hunter had failed in his 
attempt against Lynchburg he was compelled to abandon 
his Shenandoah line on account of Early's having the 
shorter route to it, and retreat to Charleston on the 
Kanawha by way of Buford's Gap, following the rail- 
road from Liberty to Salem, at which point 36 miles from 
Liberty the railroad was left. 

(454) We left camp near Liberty about 2 o'clock in 
the morning the 20th, passing through Thoxton's and 

148 



WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY 

Buford's stations, at which places some subsistence was 
obtained and going on after a march of 17 miles we 
stopped in Buford's Gap in the Blue Ridge to eat of 
our scant supply and rest. A little after dark we resumed 
our march. Shortly after the infantry started, our cavalry 
staying behind for a time captured about a hundred of 
the Rebel cavalry, in the pass, who had been harassing 
our rear. We marched all night reaching Salem in the 
morning. Here we halted to meal, breakfast and dinner. 
While here the enemy attacked our rear. The attack not 
very serious, was repulsed. The wagon train and some 
artillery were sent ahead, some cavalry having gone ahead 
a while before. 

(455) About three miles from Salem the rear of the 
train which from oversight or want of precaution had 
little or no guard with it, was attacked by McCausland, 
capturing or killing a number of horses, cutting down 
the carriages of five guns so that they had to be abandoned 
and getting off with three guns. The infantry were 
hurried up from the rear and he was driven off with a 
loss to us of thirty men. After this affair with the Rebels 
we marched on ten miles farther, passing over a moun- 
tain and camped for the night of the 21st, to have our 
first good rest. We had marched in the last twenty- 
four houi3 26 miles, and in all for the last three days 
70 miles doing most of the marching after night though 
the nights were short, with little or no sleep. The men 
were so worn out for want of sleep that when a short 
stop was made for a rest, they would fall asleep and 
were hard to waken up. Though our march had thus 
been rapid the bridges, stations, and water tanks along 
the railroad as far as we followed it were pretty 
thoroughly destroyed by our men. 

(456) Near the summit of the mountain over which 
we had just passed on the road in our rear up which 
the Rebels were expected to come our men had placed in 

149 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

position two pieces of artillery to give them a salute if 
they should venture up the mountain. In the night 
cavalry were heard coming and when they were near 
enough the artillery was opened on them, sending them 
down the mountain flying. The Rebels followed us no 
farther. 

(457) We remained in camp at the foot of the moun- 
tain till 1 o'clock P. M., when the 22nd, we resumed our 
march. We passed through New Castle, over Middle 
Mountain, Peter's Mountain, through Sweet Springer, 
over Allegheny Mountain, through White Sulphur 
Springs where the men being so hard pressed for some- 
thing to eat pulled up growing potatoes and ate the old 
tubers ; crossed the Greenbriar River, passed through 
Lewisburg, over Little Sewell Mountain, and over Big 
Sewell Mountain, camping at its foot. It was on coming 
up one of these mountains that many dead horses were 
seen. So many were they, it seemed that, for a mile or 
two, there was one to every rod or two. They had 
given out from want of feed and were shot to keep the 
enemy from getting them. 

(458) It was now the 27th, the 9th day since we had 
left Lynchburg. We had marched from that time 168 
miles. For the last three or four days we had had in 
the way of subsistence little or nothing except coffee, 
sugar and very poor beef, of which latter the men became 
very sick, getting it only partially cooked by roasting it 
over a fire. We had got to that extremity that we were 
glad to get bran or raw corn to eat. It was said that an 
officer in one case at least, offered a dollar for a pint of 
corn. Here at the west base of Big Sewell, however, the 
train of supplies which had been promised us for a day 
or two, finally came up to the great gladness of all. 
And the race for rations was now at an end. 

(459) The next day we pushed on and passed the 
Hawksnest on the New River, the 29th, an almost per- 



150 



WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY 

pendicular precipice of rocks, eleven hundred feet high, 
overlooking the river ; crossed the Ganley River the same 
day at its junction with the former river, the two streams 
forming the Kanawha river, and camped. We remained 
here two days, being now within easy reach of supplies, 
and were mustered for pay while here. July 2nd, we 
marched to Camp Piatt on the Kanawha ten miles from 
Charleston, having marched 227 miles from Lynchburg. 

(460) Col. Strother, Gen. Hunter's chief of staff in 
his report of the expedition, gives these results : "About 
50 miles of the Virginia Central railroad had been 
effectually destroyed. The Virginia and Tennessee road 
had been destroyed to some extent for the same distance ; 
an incredible amount of public property had been buried, 
including canal boats and railroad trains loaded with ordi 
nance and commissary stores; numerous extensive iron 
works, manufactories of saltpetre, musket stocks, shoes, 
saddles and artillery harness, woolen cloths and grain 
mills. About three hundred muskets and twenty pieces 
of cannon with quantities of shells and gun powder fell 
into our hands, while immense quantities of provisions, 
cattle and horses were captured and used by the army." 
Col. Strother claims also the infliction of a loss of 2.000 
killed and wounded on the enemy, besides the taking of 
2,000 prisoners with a total loss of only 1,500 men and 
eight guns in Hunter's command (see Pond) Hunter, 
however, lost a great many horses, mules and wagons 
by reason of lack of subsistence for the horses and 
mules. 

(461) It appears that a far greater result was achieved 
by Hunter's expedition than any or it may be, of all those 
given by Col. Strother ; for Jefferson Davis explained to 
the people of Georgia after the fall of Atlanta that "an 
audacious movement of the enemy up to the very walk 
of Lynchburg had rendered it necessary that the govern- 
ment should send a formidable body of troops to cover 

151 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

that vital point, which had otherwise been intended for 
the relief of Atlanta." 

(462) Hunter regarded the achievements of his com- 
mand as valuable. He sent a dispatch from Lomp Creek 
near Ganley Bridge, June 28th, saying that, " the expedi- 
tion had been extremely successful inflicting great injury 
upon the enemy.' He added, "The command is in ex- 
cellent heart and health." Gen. Hunter, who had kept 
up during the raid a rather luxuriant table, comparatively 
sumptuously supplied, was perhaps himself in pretty good 
health and heart; but that his troops in general — who 
had suffered much deprivation and hardship, having to 
live mainly on meat for some days inferior no doubt to 
good mule meat, and having been so exhaustively 
marched that a few days before we reached rations he 
ordered those of the command, who could not keep up 
to keep in squads so that they could defend themselves 
from bushwhackers — would agree with this opinion is 
hardly to be believed. 

(463) July 3rd, the Twelfth with a considerably por- 
tion of Hunter's infantry besides, took steamboats at 
Camp Piatt on the Kanawha for Parkersburg on the 
Ohio, to take cars of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad 
back to the Shenandoah Valley again. We passed down 
the Kanawha and up the Ohio getting along pretty well 
till we came to Burlington's Island where we had to go 
ashore and foot it a short distance on account of the 
boats not being able to pass the schools there with her 
load of passengers. After passing the shoals we 
boarded the boats again. From this point we got along 
pretty well till we got to Blannertassett's Island, about 
six miles from Parkersburg, where we had to go ashore 
again on account of low water, and march to that city, 
arriving at a village opposite the 4th, having marched 
up on the Ohio side of the river and camped for the 
night. 

152 



WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY 

(464) We crossed the river the next day and took 
the cars for the Valley. It was five days later when we 
reached the village of Hedgersville on the western skirt 
of the Valley, having been detained on the way on 
account of the Rebels having burnt several bridges east of 
Cumberland, Md., which had to be rebuilt before the 
trains could go on. At this village we began to hear 
reports and rumors as to the nearness and strength of 
the enemy ; but notwithstanding whatever the command- 
ing general may have known the troops generally seemed 
to have no definite information as to the strength of 
the Rebels near us. 



153 



CHAPTER IX. 

(465) The next day, the 11th, after our arrival at 
Hedgesville our brigade which was now united, marched 
to Martinsburg having had to march from near Back 
Creek, a distance of 15 miles, on account of the Rebels 
having torn up the railroad east of that creek. We 
had now got back to the town from which we had 
started on April 20th. under Sigel up the Valley. Just 
before we reached the town our cavalry had driven out of 
it a small force of Rebel cavalry. According to Col. 
Curtis when we moved from here under Sigel, the 
Twelfth had 800 men present, while now we were reduced 
to 250 men present for duty. The five-sixths of this 
reduction mainly of sick, it is safe to say was chargable 
to the Lynchburg raid principally, showing how severe it 
was on the men, and hardly sustaining Hunter's dispatch 
from near Ganley Bridge, that the men were in excellent 
health. But though the command suffered great hard- 
ships they could not say that they were not forewarned 
by Gen. Hunter, that that was what they might expect 
and so they could not say that they were deceived in that 
particular. 

(466) As before said we were once more in the Val- 
ley; once a fair land of peace and plenty, but now a 
desolate land battle-scarred and laid waste by the con- 
flicts of contending armies; and fated to be the theatre 
of further bloody battles ; when in truth it might be said : 
"The earth is covered thick with other clay. 

Which her own clay shall cover, heaped and pent." 

(467) The day our brigade arrived at Martinsburg 
the Rebel Gen. Early, who had marched from the relief 
of Lynchburg into the Valley and whose troops had 
burned bridges and torn up the track of the Baltimore 

155 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

and Ohio road, east and west of Martinsburg, appeared 
before Washington having gone there to attempt its cap- 
ture. But he like Hunter at Lynchburg was just one day 
too late, the Sixth Corps having come to the relief of the 
capitol that same day, just as Early had come to the 
relief of Lynchburg the very day Hunter appeared before 
that city. The next day the 12th, after some sharp fight- 
ing with the Sixth Corps, Eearly, being satisfied by 
prisoners captured that Grant had sent reinforcements 
to Washington, withdrew from before the city. It is 
possible that Early's attempt to capture Washington 
might have been successful, had not Gen. Sigel wisely 
withdrawn his troops from Martinsburg on learning that 
Early was coming and thus frustrating his (Early's) plan 
to capture them, and marched to Harpers Ferry gather- 
ing up some troops on the way, and occupied Maryland 
Heights Just where according to Pond he was not wanted 
by Early, he having been detained there for a day in a 
vain attempt to dislodge Sigel intending to make that his 
(Early's) base in his movement against the capitol, and 
had he not met with further detention by Lew Wallace's 
stubborn fighting at Monocacy Junction. 

(468) The Twelfth remained two days at Martins- 
burg when the 13th, we marched taking the road leading 
to Harpers Ferry, reaching there the next day crossing 
into Maryland, passing down the Potomac and camped 
about two miles from Harpers Ferry near Knoxville. 
There were now here about 9,000 troops mainly of 
Hunter's troops. The 15th, the force here waded the 
river into Virginia and took the road leading toward 
Leesburg about 18 miles distant. When about nine 
miles on the way, we turned to the right and marched 
to Hillsborough in Londown county and camped for the 
night. Early's foiled army was now on the way from 
Washington to the Valley followed by Gen. Wright of the 
Sixth Corps with a force of about 15,000 men. 

156 



WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY 

(469) The same night that we were lying at Hills- 
borough, Early was at Leesburg about a half day's march 
distant having lain there all the day before; but the next 
morning the 16th, he moved through Hamilton and 
Purcellville to Snicker's and Ashby's Gaps. Hunter's 
troops might easily have been thrown across Early's 
route ahead of him, and would have been no doubt, had 
the follower's strength been great enough, but his force 
being too small to risk an attack, it was evidently deemed 
prudent to not make it. However, Tibbets's small bri- 
gade of Duffies cavalry attacked Early's trains and cap- 
tured one hundred and seventeen mules and horses, 
eighty-two wagons and 40 or 50 prisoners getting off with 
thirty-seven loaded wagons and burning over forty 
others. This attack on the Rebel trains was made near 
Purcellville as they moved through that town. 

(470) On this same day. the Kith, our division under 
the immediate command of Gen. Crook marched to Pur- 
cellville, five miles from Hillsborough, starting at 4 P. M. 
At the former town it was reported that Wright's com- 
mand was only three miles east of there. We stayed all 
the next day at Purcellville ; but the following day, the 
18th, we marched taking the road leading to Snicker's 
Gap. On the way while stopping to rest the Sixth Corps 
came up. Our division now under Col. Thoburn moved 
through the gap and passed down the Shenandoah River 
about two miles below Snicker's Ferry, he, having been 
ordered by Gen. Crook about 2 o'clock to move his 
division with the Third Brigade of the Second to Island 
Ford, cross there and move up to Snicker's Ford to hold 
it for the army to cross. 

(471) Thoburn proceeded to execute this order and 
thus brought on the engagement of Snicker's Ferry. 
When Thoburn's men attempted to cross, the enemy 
having a picket behind bushes, opened a brisk fire; but 
Wells' brigade finding a good fording some distance 

157 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

below pushed across and captured the Rebel picket of 15 
men, and the captain commanding them. Thoburn's 
force now all moved over, when he, learning from the 
prisoners that there was a large force of the enemy near, 
sent word back to Crook to that effect, who now ordered 
Thoburn to not attempt to march to the ferry, but to 
await a reinforcement of a brigade from the Sixth 
Corps. 

(472) Before long the enemy attacked in strong force. 
About this time the Sixth Corps came up, halting within 
close cannon shot upon the Blue Ridge, which here closely 
skirts the river, but no reinforcements came to us. Breck- 
inridge attacked on the left and centre and Rhodes on 
the right. Here on the extreme right was a lot of dis- 
mounted cavalry from various regiments under com- 
mand of Lieut. Col. Young of the Fourth Pennsylvania, 
who soon gave way retreating across the river. Thoburn 
quickly changed front to meet the flank attack of Rhodes 
but after hard fighting, our right was forced across the 
river some getting drowned. Our left held its ground 
until ordered back, recrossing the river in fairly good 
order, considering circumstances. The fight was short 
but severe. Our loss was 65 killed, 301 wounded and 
56 missing. Total, 422. Among the field officers our 
loss was heavy. Col. Dan. Frost of the Eleventh, Lieut. 
Col. Thomas M orris of the Fifteenth West Virginia In- 
fantry and the Colonel of an Ohio regiment were killed, 
and Col. Washburn of the One Hundred and Sixteenth 
Ohio Infantry was thought to be mortally wounded, a 
musket ball having entered his left eye and come out of 
his right ear; but he recovered. The loss of the Rebels 
must also have been severe, and the more so since in forc- 
ing our men back they brought themselves within range 
of the Sixth Corps batteries, on the opposite side of the 
river, which opened and kept up a hot fire upon them for 
a little while doing good execution, and thus aiding also 

158 



WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY 

our men in recrossing the river. The next day the Rebels 
were busy burying their dead and removing their 
wounded, and two days later when the enemy had gone 
the citizens, living near the battle field told us that their 
loss was heavy. 

(473) At the time of this engagement, Thoburn's men 
regarded the failure of the Sixth Corps to come to their 
support as resulting from an indifference on the part 
of that corps, as to how Thoburn's men came out in the 
fight. However, the true explanation of the matter may 
be found in this dispatch from Wright to Halleck : "The 
attempt at crossing was resisted in strong force; and 
believing it better to turn his position I designed doing 
so by way of Keyes Gap thus effecting a junction with 
some of the forces of Gen. Hunter lower down the 
Valley." 

(474) The Twelfth was the last regiment to retreat 
across the river. According to the account of Col. Curtis, 
Col. Thoburn having confidence in the pluck and staying 
qualities of our boys, ordered him to form his regiment in 
line in front of the ford, and hold it at all hazard till 
further orders. The position was an excellent one being 
in a road parallel with the river, the bank of which road 
made a good breast work. The regiment held its posi- 
tion until ordered to recross the river doing so in the 
dusk of the evening, the rest of the force having crossed 
shortly before. One of the noticeable features of the 
fight here, observed by our men, was a peculiar way the 
Rebel skirmishers had. They would advance fire and 
then turn their backs toward us to load, those seen 
obliquetly to our left wore a blue-grey uniform, which 
at a distance looked blue : This fact together with their 
having their backs toward us when loading, caused doubt 
as to whether they were our men or the enemy, and some 
of the officers gave orders to fire upon them while others, 
saying they were our men gave orders to not fire ; but 



159 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

when it was generally seen which way these skirmishers 
were firing there was no longer any doubt, and the men 
were told to let them have it. Here and on our left 
generally, the Rebels were driven back. 

(475) One of the especially sad and lamentable results 
of this fight was, that some members of the Fourth West 
Virginia Infantry whose time had expired were killed in 
it. They had been waiting before starting home until a 
sufficiently strong force should be going to the rear to 
make it safe for them to start. In the meantime this 
Snicker's Ferry fight came on, and the Fourth boys being 
plucky fellows generally, these discharged men said that 
they would not stand back while their comrades were 
going into a fight, and so some of the poor fellows were 
killed with discharges in their pockets. 

(476) The next day after the battle our forces lay 
on one side of the river and the enemy on the other, 
our sharpshooters getting a shot at them once in awhile. 
One division of the Nineteenth Corps came up this day. 
Generals Averell and Duval were now moving up the 
Valley toward Winchester from Martinsburg with 2,700 
troops, infantry, cavalry, and artillery, getting in Early's 
rear. In the morning the 20th, his force was gone from 
our front. Averell's movement no doubt, compelling this 
withdrawal, and during the day we crossed the river and 
camped in some woods. Before the troops here crossed 
the river, however, we heard considerable commanding 
away to the west of us. There was much conjecture 
among the rank and file as to what that meant. This 
proved to be a battle between Averell's force, Duval com- 
manding the infantry and a superior Rebel force, the 
fight being near Winchester, in which Averell won a 
complete victory. 

(477) That evening the 6th, and the Nineteenth Corps 
recrossed the river and took the road leading through 
Leesburg to Washington, Wright thinking it seems that 

160 



WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER [NFANTRY 

Early was on his way to Richmond and expecting it 
appears, that he Wright would be returned to Grant at 
Petersburg. But he had made a mistake in his inferences, 
for his troops did not go farther than Georgetown, D. C, 
and it will presently be seen that Early was not yet 
ready to leave the Valley. 

(478) The 22nd, we marched passing through Berrys- 
ville to Winchester, and camped about two miles beyond 
the town on the Strasburg road. The purpose of Gen. 
Crook in this movement was to watch Early's movements 
and if possible ascertain his purposes. He did not have 
to wait long to find them out. Early did not retreat 
farther up the Valley than Strasburg, and learning there 
that Wright's force had returned to Washington, he 
concluded to attack Crook, which he did, and this brought 
on the battle of Kearnstown. The next day after our 
arrival at our camp near Winchester, the enemy drove 
in our pickets, but after some skirmishing the Rebels were 
driven back. The day after this affair with the pickets. 
Early attacked Crook with his whole force at Kearns- 
town. The Twelfth had been formed in line that Sunday 
forenoon, July 24th, for inspection, at least the men had 
received orders to get ready for that purpose; but sud- 
denly without there being any inspection the men were 
ordered to load at will. 

(479) A half hour later perhaps our brigade was 
marched toward Kearnstown. Before starting we had 
heard for some time considerable skirmishing in that 
direction, and it was still kept up. It was the season 
then for ripe blackberries, and as we moved toward the 
firing we passed through fields where these berries were 
plentiful. Some of the men could not forego stepping a 
little out of ranks and picking a few of them. Col. Ely 
of the Eighteenth Connecticut, commanding the brigade, 
noticing the men commanded them : "Keep in ranks, men, 
it is no time to be gathering black berries." In truth it 

161 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

was not the most propitious time imaginable for that 
purpose. It seems that anything said or done at all 
noticeable in a critical and perilous time is apt to make 
a strong impression and be remembered, and the boys 
for some days afterward were in the habit of repeating 
the Colonel's command, "Keep in ranks men, it is no-o-o 
time to be gathering blackberries. 

(480) Our brigade had been moving forward on the 
right of the pike. Finally we took a position and made 
a breast work of rails — a thing of little use in an open 
country like that ; for a breast work there can easily 
be taken in flank. It was not long until we were moved 
from this position and placed in line, still on the right of 
the pike with the other troops. About 1 or 2 o'clock in 
the afternoon Early attacked with his whole force. There 
are no data at hand showing Crooks strength ; but it 
was much inferior to that of Early, the latter having force 
enough to fight us in front and to flank us on both 
flanks. In fact, it was his expectation to cut off our 
retreat and capture our whole force. Our left was struck 
in flank and doubled up and at the same time the centre 
being hard pressed, the left and centre gave way. Crook 
seeing this and knowing that he had not force enough 
to fight Earlys whole army ordered a retreat at about 
3 o'clock, an hour or so after the battle began. The 
Twelfth changed front once during the battle but did 
not otherwise give ground until ordered off the field. 
Col. Ely giving the order, saying to Col. Curtis, "Move 
your men off the field by the right flank." 

(481) The Rebels followed us sharply for six or eight 
miles. After passing Winchester our brigade, halted at 
times and skirmished with the enemy. Just as night was 
coming on while we were in a piece of woods, a squadron 
of Rebel cavalry came in view riding within close range. 
They were going in an opposite direction from us at 
o distance to our right. When near us they halted. It 

162 



WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY 

being near night it was hard to tell whether they were 
friends or enemies ; but many of the men of the brigade 
especially of the Second Maryland regiment began firing 
on them, being satisfied that they were Rebels ; and they 
retreated toward Winchester, their horses prancing under 
the fire. Our brigade became separated from the rest of 
the troops and for some reason instead of following 
the direction of the pike toward Martinsburg, as did the 
other troops, we turned toward North Mountain. Part 
of the way toward the mountain we passed through rough 
stony woods, and it being a pitch dark night — so very 
dark that you could scarcely see the man next you — the 
men stumbled considerably, falling sometimes while in 
the woods. 

(482) By reason of the darkness we had to get a 
guide to pilot us ; and for the same reason Col. Thoburn 
and Col. Curtis got separated from the command, for 
some days we did not know what had become of them. 
We camped at the village of Gerardtown at the base of 
the mountain. The main portion of Crook's infantry 
camped at Bunker Hill. Before daylight the next morn- 
ing we marched for Martinsburg, there meeting the rest 
of our force. Our brigade was detailed as a guard for 
our wagon trains. Before leaving with the trains, how- 
ever, cannonading had begun south of the town. Crook 
was holding the enemy back till he could get his trains 
away. W r e arrived opposite Williamsport, Washington 
county Maryland, in the evening and camped for the 
night. 

I is:)) In the morning the 26th, we crossed over to 
the town and marched first to Sharpsburg, then to Sandy 
hook and next, passing through Harpers Ferry to 
Halltown arriving there the 28th. On this day Cols. Tho- 
burn and Curtis returned to their commands. The boys 
were all heartily glad to see them, giving them rousing 
cheers on their return, and they no doubt were no less 



103 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

glad to be once more with their commands. Col. Curtis 
says that when he and Thoburn became separated from 
their commands they were surrounded by a squad of 
Rebel cavalry, who fired upon them, compelling them to 
abandon their horses and take refuge in a corn field. 
The next morning they found the entire Rebel force 
between them and their commands. They made their 
way to North Mountain. By traveling at nights and 
sleeping in the clay time, living on black berries part of 
the time they, through the assistance of the colored people 
and loyal whites at last returned to their commands to 
report for duty, being four days absent without leave. 

(484) Recurring to the battle of Kearnstown, Crook 
went to that town as before mentioned to learn of Early's 
movements ; but it is believed that a battle there could 
have been avoided with little or no loss to us ; and in 
view of the fact that Crook knew that he did not have 
force enough to meet Early's entire army, he should 
have declined an engagement. The sacrifice of 1,200 
men. Col. Mulligan commanding a division was killed 
in this engagement. Crook's estimated loss was too 
great simply to get information as to the enemys pur- 
poses, when the knowledge might have been got other- 
wise. The loss of the enemy has been supposed to be 
light. 

(485) The loss of the Twelfth in this battle was incon- 
siderable mainly in prisoners taken. It was perhaps 
twenty-five or thirty in all. At the beginning of the fight 
Lieut. Col. Brown was ordered on to the skirmish line 
with two companies. It was from these companies prin- 
cipally that the prisoners were taken. When our main 
force retreated, these skirmishers received no order to 
fall back, the order not reaching them, and they being 
left behind were surrounded and a part of them, mostly 
from Company K, were captured. Lieut. Col. Brown, 
then major, and Lieut. John A. Briggs, of Company K, 



164 



WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY 

were among the prisoners. These two officers, however, 
managed to escape at Harrisonburg from their guards 
while the latter were asleep and made their way from 
there to North Mountain reaching there about daylight 
one morning a few hours after their escape. As day was 
breaking they hid in woods. It was not long till the 
Rebel cavalry were seen coming in search for them. They 
came so near that they could be heard talking. Fortu- 
nately, however, the fugitives were not discovered. The 
particulars of how Lieut. Col. Brown and Lieut. Briggs 
made their way to our lines, are not known, but some 
how they succeeded in getting safe through to New 
Creek on the Baltimore and Ohio railroad. Lieut. Col. 
Brown says that after his capture he with some other 
officers was brought before Gen. Breckinridge, who, he 
says was a fine looking man, thus concurring with the 
popular opinion. The general questioned the prisoners, 
as to the strength of Crook's command and so forth, but 
they gave him no satisfaction in the way of information. 
(486) Col. Curtis tells of an incident of Crook's re- 
treat, about a colored boy, his servant. When the 
retreat began the boy had charge of a mule having all 
the Colonel's cooking utensils and other camp equipage 
strapped upon him. After awhile the regiment came to 
a fence, the men climbed over, the Colonel jumped his 
horse over and the boy tried to 'get the mule to jump, 
but he refused. The case was urgent, as the bullets 
were flying all around us; but the boy held on to the 
mule trying to get him to jump. The mule was still 
stubborn. In the midst of the boy's efforts a ball struck 
him in the neck, bleeding him freely. This caused him to 

free his mind. He said : "Well a d d mule and a 

nigger are two of the most contrary things in the world." 
It is not known whether the boy's vigorous expletive had 
any effect upon the mule, but about this time he jumped 
the fence and the boy brought off the mule and traps 
in safety. 

165 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

(487) Richard W. Mahan of Company K, who was 
captured in this engagement tells the story of his capture 
and prison trials as follows : 

(488) As soon as our regiment was brought up my 
company (K) and Company E, were filed out without 
halting the regiment, and deployed on the right as skir- 
mishers. This was the last I saw of the regiment for ten 
months. I have always thought that we were sacrificed 
in this engagement — I mean the skirmishers. We com- 
menced to fall back after it was too late, very slowly too, 
firing in retreat. Our army by this time had fallen back 
out of sight; and the Forty-fourth Virginia (Rebel) 
cavalry was close on our right and in our rear. So after 
a short, but brisk home stretch we surrendered in the 
open field and hot sun, with no apple tree near to make 
the terms under. Seventeen of our regiment, including 
two officers Maj. R. H. Brown and Lieut. John A. Briggs 
eight of them being of my company were captured here. 

(489) We were guarded the first night in an old school 
house. The next morning we were taken to Winchester 
and kept there about two days with nothing to eat until 
the third day when they started us off on the march for 
Staunton, one hundred and eighty miles away. We were 
there loaded into cars that were already loaded with pig 
metal and taken to Lynchburg, and kept there ten days. 
Thence to Danville, Va., arriving there on the 11th day 
of August, having traveled in closed box cars that had 
been used in shipping charcoal and tar ; and when we 
were taken from the cars into the light we were so 
black that we could scarcely recognize each other. 

(490) From the depot here we were marched to the 
prison. Halting in front while the doors were thrown 
open, five dead soldiers were brought out in plain pine 
boxes. This incident opened our eyes as we thought 
there must be something terrible inside for death to make 
such a detail at one time from one of six buildings, con- 



166 



WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY 

taining about GOO prisoners each. We marched in and 
up to the garret where there were already about fifty 
prisoners quartered, who had no clothing on except a 
blouse tied around the waist, it being so excessively hot 
from the heat of the tin roof which came down to the 
floor on each side. The roof was so hot that you could 
not bear your hand on it while the sun shone. 

(491) We were kept here until the 17'th of February, 
1865, suffering the usual ills of prison life. And the 
great trouble with most of us was short rations, which 
was a half pound of corn bread each morning at 9 
o'clock. The Johnnys proposed that if we would go out 
and work on their fortifications, they would give us 
extra rations. A few accepted this proposition as 
workers were called for each morning for two or three 
days ; but they were punished severely by the other pris- 
oners for their disloyalty, and soon no one would respond 
when the call would be made. "All right," said Johnny. 
"You all will come at the next call." So they reduced 
our rations to make us yield. 

(492) In the meantime an organization was proposed 
and effected among the prisoners of one hundred mem- 
bers to respond to the next call with the intention of cap- 
turing the guard at the fortifications and making their 
escape. This was in the month of October, and we 
thought that in the event we should escape we could 
subsist on the mast of the woods of the mountains on our 
way north. All arrangements were completed, and the 
signal word ( which was Corn-Dodger) for combined 
action in making the attempt at escape was to be given 
at 4 P. M ., which was the hour they would form us 
into two ranks for a ration of soup; then take us back 
to prison. So in the morning when the call was made 
we responded liberally; but unfortunately for myself and 
twenty-four others the door was closed on the rear of 
the column and no more than seventy-five would be 



167 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

received. Being greatly disappointed those of us left in 
prison went back up stairs and gazed longingly across the 
Dan River at our boys working on the fortifications. At 
4 P. M., approached we watched through the garret 
window in breathless silence to see the boys execute the 
plan. Sure enough the signal is given, the guards are 
clinched and their guns taken from them, and every 
prisoner there takes to his heels due north. The Johnnys 
fired an alarm from the fort, and their reserve citizens 
and dogs were soon in pursuit. They were nearly all 
captured in the course of a month or six weeks and 
brought back. Some who got near the Union lines and 
became careless were picked up. 

(493) The mortality among the prisoners here during 
the time mentioned was 1,300 of the 3,500 in all. We 
were taken from here to Libby prison and kept there 
three days and exchanged on the 22nd of February — a 
day for us to celebrate for two reasons. 

(494) The next day the 29th, after our arrival at 
Halltown, the Sixth Corps and one division of the 
Nienteenth Corps arrived there from Washington having 
been ordered back to the lower Valley on account of 
Early's continued presence there. The authorities, it 
seemed, had now become convinced that he had no notion 
of vacating that place just then. And a longer army was 
now concentrating at Halltown for teh purpose of attack- 
ing him. The Twelfth heretofore had belonged to a small 
army ; and for the past three months had had very hard 
service generally, and during that time the regiment had 
been in five engagements ; but now for the first time we 
were to be placed in a comparatively large army, and 
from this time to the end of the war we belonged to a 
large one. We found our service much easier from this 
time on with a large force, than it had been for past three 
months with a small force. Gen. Hunter was in com- 
mand of the army concentrating at Halltown. 

168 



WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY 

(495) On the 13th, there being a force of the enemy 
at this time, of uncertain strength operating in Pennsyl- 
vania and there being a belief or apprehension that Early's 
whole army was north of the Potomac with a general 
condition of uncertainty as to the situation of affairs 
with respect to his force and operations, the troops at 
Halltown soon after receiving the orders, crossed the 
Potomac at Harpers Ferry on a pontoon bridge and 
started on what Greely calls a wild goose chase into 
Maryland, to head off a possible attempt by the enemy 
against Washington. The whole force started in the 
direction of Frederick City; but after marching some 
distance, our division turned to the letf, the Sixth Corps 
and Nineteenth going toward that city. We marched 
about, in a halting uncertain way for three or four 
days when the Rebel invasion proving to be nothing 
but a cavalry raid, we marched to rejoin our other troops 
at the Monocacy, near Frederick City. Hunter's head- 
quarters were in this city. 

(496) The Twelfth remained in camp at the M on ocacy 

two days the 4th and 5th of August. On this latter day, 

Gen. Grant, who had left his army before Petersburg, on 

account of the unsatisfactory military condition in the 

Valley, arrived at Frederick City to have a conference 

with Gen. Hunter and to give him orders as to future 

operations. He gave him an order dated "Headquarters 

in the field, Monocacy Bridge, Md., August 5, 1804," 

which embraced a direction to concentrate his forces at 

Harpers Ferry just where Hunter had eebn concentrating 

his army a week before. The order stated with other 

instructions. "Bear in mind the object is to drive the 

enemy south." Grant informed Hunter that a large force 

of cavalry from the Army of the Potomac was on the 

way to join him. 

(497) Hunter began at once to carry out the order. 
That same night part of Crook's command crossed the 

lf,9 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

Potomac and occupied the old lines at Halltown. As it 
happened this same day, the day of Gran't order, Early 
crossed into Maryland from Martinsburg in force. But 
the next day Early recalled his army to Martinsburg, 
being influenced no doubt, by Hunter's move to Hall- 
town, which threatened Early's rear. The 6th, the 
Twelfth inarched from the Monocacy to near Harpers 
Ferry. On the 8th, we marched across the Potomac to 
near Halltown where the army was massing. 



170 



CHAPTER X. 

(498) It had been Grant's intention to make Gen. 
Sheridan field commander in the campaign now about to 
begin. But, for reasons not necessary to name, Hunter 
wishing to be relieved of command, was accordingly 
relieved, and Sheridan put in command of the Army of 
the Shenandoah. He arrived at Monocacy on the 6th, 
and Grant returned to Washington the same day. The 
next day by an order from the War Department, a 
Military Division was made of the Departments of 
Pennsylvania, Washington, Maryland, and West Vir- 
ginia under Sheridan's command. 

(499) Sheridan's army was now August 10th, 30,000 
strong. On this day he moved from Halltown up the 
Valley to give battle to the enemy. Passing through 
Berryville and Winchester from which latter point the 
enemy retreated before him our force arrived at Cedar 
Creek, forty miles from Halltown on the 12th. At this 
point the enemy was disposed to make a stand. That 
evening the Twelfth and First charged upon and drove 
the Rebel skirmishes east of the pike across the creek. 
Crook's command did not cross, but the next day the 
Sixth and Nineteenth Corps crossed the creek on the 
right of the pike driving the enemy before them for a 
mile or two. 

(500) The next day. the 14th, a detail of two officers, 
Capt. Prichard and Lieut. Hewitt, and 00 men of the 
Twelfth was sent under command of Capt .Prichard to 
Massanutten Mountain just across Cedar Creek to guard 
a signal corps there. This guard and signal corps had, 
however, not been on the mountain more than a few 
hours until they were attacked by a large force 800 men. 
a man of our captured, afterward stated, and driven off, 

171 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

with a loss to us of three or four men killed and 
wounded. 

(501) All the next day there was considerable skir- 
mishing between the opposing forces, but Sheridan having 
received intelligence from Grant on the 14th, that rein- 
forcements were on the way to Early began preparing for 
a retreat, the Nineteenth Corps starting th night of the 
15th. The next day a part of Anderson's force crossing 
the Shenandoah river on the Front Royal road was met 
by Devin's and Custer's brigades of cavalry and driven 
back across the river with a Rebel loss of 300 prisoners. 
This night, the 16th, the Sixth Corps and the Eighth, 
the latter Crook's command, retreated down the Valley 
breakfasting at Winchester, then pushing on to the posi- 
tion taken near Berryville. 

(502) The morning of the 17th, Early started in hot 
pursuit. Our cavalry with our small brigade of infantry 
of the Sixth Corps having been left at Winchester were 
attacked by the enemy in the afternoon, but the brigade 
of infantry and a portion of the cavalry held them in 
check all afternoon. At length after night our men were 
forced back with a loss of 350 to us, mainly of the infan- 
try, 200 of the latter being taken prisoners. On the 20th, 
Sheridan having been enjoined by Grant to be cautious, 
and not desiring to give battle until he should know 
more definitely the strength of the enemy, fell back to 
near Charlestown the lines being formed with the Sixth 
Corps on the right, the Nineteenth on the left and the 
Eighth in the centre. 

(503) It appears that Early had planned to attack 
Sheridan the next day. His forces moved on two dif- 
ferent roads with that purpose, Anderson on one road 
and Early on the other. The latter attacked the Sixth 
Corps which at first gave ground, but afterward regained 
it at night fall, with a loss on our side of 200 killed and 
wounded. The other corps were formed in line ready 

172 



WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY 

for battle, but Anderson not getting up, the fight was 
soon over, Early concluding to draw off, for the present 
at least. That night Sheridan desiring to act on the 
defensive for the present, also to have a better position 
and to bide his time which was surely coming when the 
clouds of disappointment and doubt which had hung over 
this field too long should be rifted, and the sun of success 
and bright promise shine through, fell back to Halltown 
forming line from the Shenandoah on the left to the 
Potomac on the right. We made breast works of fence 
rails, railroad ties and so forth the next day. In the 
meantime there was considerable skirmishing and some 
cannonading between the opposing forces, the enemy 
having followed us up. 

(504) Early demonstrated against us for three days, 
when the 25th, a large part of his infantry marched to 
Shepherdstown on the Potomac, and a considerable body 
of his cavalry to Williamsport. Our forces captured a 
few prisoners in our front today. The next day the 
Twelfth went on the skirmish line. And two brigades 
of the First Division and one of the Second, Crooks, com- 
mand. Lowell's cavalry co-operating, went to our front 
to reconnoitre. They broke the Rebel skirmish line burnt 
some stacks from behind which the Rebels had skir- 
mished, and drove two brigades from their breast works, 
our loss being 141 killed and wounded. That night, 
Anderson, who had been left in command here, while 
Early had moved to Shepherdstown and Williamsport, 
not having sufficient force to hold his ground, fell back 
to Stephensons Depot, five miles east of Winchester. 

(505) Sheridan's force did not move for two clays 
when the 28th, the army marched to Charlestown. The 
next day from the position of the infantry could be 
heard cannonading all day. This resulted from the Rebel 
infantry's drving Merritt's cavalry from Smithfield, some 
six miles west of Charlestown. which former town was 
then occupied by the enemy's cavalry and from further 

173 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

fighting when later Ricketts' division of the Sixth Corps 
drove the enemy's cavalry out and Merritt reoccupied the 
town. Along about this time the soldiers in camp ate, 
slept, wrote letters and did whatever else they had to do 
within the almost constant sound of cannon or musketry. 

(506) The main portion of the army remained near 
Charlestown for the next five days. During this time the 
Twelfth was paid six months pay. And now our sutter 
reappeared upon the scene. It was a good time for him 
to be on hand ; for now, was his harvest season. At 
the end of five days or on the morning of the 3rd of 
September, Sheridan desiring to extend his lines to Berry- 
ville, ordered the Eighth Corps to that place. We ar- 
rived there in the evening, and the boys immediately 
began making coffee but they had hardly more than 
begun to do so, when there was a few musket shots to 
our front toward Winchester. Right away the boys of 
the Twelfth began to discuss the matter of what the 
probable cause of the firing was. Some saying that 
they thought the butchers were killing beeves ; others 
were doubtful about it but soon, the shots increasing in 
frequency, they w r ere about making up their minds that 
a fight was on hand when Col. Ely commanding the 
brigade hastily gave the order: "Fall in, fall in!" and 
soon Crook's command was in line to the right and left 
o fthe Berryville pike to meet the enemy which was there 
in considerable force. 

(507) The firing first heard was caused by an attack 
upon the First Virginia, which had ony been put on 
picket about a half hour before, on the Berryville pike. 
The fight lasted till after dark. We held our ground on 
the night, while Duval's division on the left drove the 
enemy capturing about HO prisoners. Crook's loss in this 
affair was 16G. While the fighting was going on 
wagons were heard driving rapidly clown the Valley on 
the road crossing the Berryville pike just to our rear. 
These belonged to a force of our cavalry that had been 



174 



WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER [NFANTRY 

on a reconnoisance up the Valley. After dark the Rebels 
threw some shells over our heads which seemed to fall 
pretty close to the passing wagon train. The next day 
some of the cavalry said that we of the infantry had 
saved them from being cut off in their return down the 
Valley, for the Rebels would have had to go only a 
short distance until they would have been across the 
cavalrymen's road. Crook's command held its position 
till near morning when it drew back toward Charles- 
town about two miles. And Sheridan's whole force 
began to intrench. 

(508) Just why this fight at Berryville took place, so 
far as the purpose and movement of the enemy brought 
it on, was not at the time understood among our men. 
The impression seemed to be that Crook's force was 
there to hold the Berryville pike, while the cavalry were 
making a reconnoisance up the Valley and the Rebels 
moving on that road with the purpose of cutting off their 
return had encountered us. and that was the reason, it 
was thought the fight took place. But the fact is the 
fight resulted, so far as the enemy was responsible, from 
a part of his force in the Valley having started on that 
evening on the return to Richmond by way of Berryville. 
Something over two weeks before this Early received, as 
before stated, reinforcements from Lee. consisting mainly 
of Anderson's division of Longstreet's corps, which 
corps was now commanded by Anderson, who had come 
into the Valley with the division. Lee being hard pressed 
by Grant at this time had called for the return of these 
troops, and it was they whom Crook had encountered that 
evening. The fight was a mutual surprise. Crooks men 
were getting supper when the enemy attacked the First 
Virginia on picket sending them back precipitately: thus 
bringing on the fight. This unexpected engagement de- 
layed the departure of this Rebel force for some days. 

| 509) After the Berryville battle there was no general 
movement of the Union forces for more than two week.. 



175 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

On the 8th, however, Crooks' corps was moved from its 
position on the left of the lines to Summit Point on the 
right. The status of things on our side was maintained 
in the main, for the next ten days. Maj. Brown, whc 
was captured about seven weeks before at Winchester, 
and had escaped from the Rebels at Harrisburg, 
returned to the Twelfth from home on the 10th. 

((510) On the 13th, Gen. Mcintosh of Wilson's 
division of cavalry reconnoitering on the Berryville road 
in the direction of Winchester, captured a South Caro- 
lina regiment of infantry, the whole of it, however, being 
only a little over 100 men and 30 other prisoners. The 
news of the capture spread through the camp and had 
an inspiriting effect, no do'ibt upon the army; and per- 
haps was regarded as presaging further victory. 

(511) There having been of late great urgency to 
have the Baltimore and Ohio railroad opened, and a 
pressure generally to have the people north of the Po- 
tomac freed from the menmace of Early's army. Gen. 
Grant paid Sheridan a visit on the 16th to talk over the 
situation and see what should be done. Just two days 
before this, Anderson's division had again started to 
return to Richmond; this time moving through Chester 
Gap farth south, and thus the condition, the withdrawal 
of a part of Early's force, that Grant and Sheridan had 
been waiting for, had come about. So when Grant asked 
Sheridan on that Friday if he could be ready to attack 
Early on the next Tuesday he did not want, like Mc- 
Clellan, to delay awaiting reinforcements, or plead lack of 
means of transportation or supplies, or some other dif- 
ficulty, but he answered like a man who meant business, 
that he could be ready the following Monday ; thus show- 
ing so far as this instance would indicate, not that "There 
is luck in leisure," but rather that there is a bright 
promise in promptitude. For by attacking on Monday 
he took the enemy somewhat at a disadvantage, his 
forces then being scattered along the Martinsburg pike, 

176 



WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY 

thus rendering victory certain for Sheridan, while if the 
attack had been delayed till Tuesday Early's forces would 
have been concentrated, they being on the move on 
Monday for that purpose, and the result of the battle 
might have been otherwise. 

(512) Sheridan having decided to attack Early on the 
memorable 19th of September, had sent his unnecessary 
trains and the sutlers to the rear the day before; and 
accordingly on the eventful Monday he moved to the 
attack before day. Our brigade consisting at this time 
of the First, Fourth and Twelfth West Virginia Infan- 
try, then under the command of Lieut. Col. Northcott 
marched at 5 o'clock P. M., the body of the troops having 
started earlier. The serious character of the work that 
the men of the Twelfth believed to be before them had 
a sobering effect upon them ; but they marched bravely 
forward that morning willing to do their part in the com- 
ing struggle. Nearing the Berryville ford of the 
Opeguon, over which all the infantry had to pass, and 
between which and Winchester, five miles distant, the 
battle was fought, we heard heavy skirmishing. The 
battle was opening. The Twelfth and in fact our whole 
brigade, was lucky that day, if it may be regarded as 
fortunate to escape the chance of being killed or wounded. 
And it may be said, the regiment was rather favored by 
fortune in this regard from this time to the end of our 
service. 

(513) When we reached the ford to our not very sor- 
rowful surprise — for the boys had got over being eager 
for a fight — it was announced to us that our brigade was 
detached to guard the wagon train and field hospital to 
be established at that point. Lieut. Col. Northcott was 
mortified and vexed that his brigade should be left out 
of the fight, and he inquired of Col. Thoburn, command- 
ing the division, the reason of it. Thoburn answered 
that he, Thoburn, had no choice in the matter, his orders 
being to detach his smallest brigade to be left as a 

177 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

guard at the ford. And thus we were left out of the 
battle. However, it is not always safe to be in the rear, 
as is shown by the fact that Sheridan intended to attack 
Early in the rear that morning, but changed his plan 
when he learned that the enemy's forces were then strung 
along the Martinsburg pike. As it was, we had to be on 
the alert, for there were guerrillas hovering about us 
ready to pounce on any small squad that might become 
detached from the command. 

(514) It was nearly noon before the battle, because 
general, and for four or five hours thereafter we could 
see, from our position at the ford, the smoke of the con- 
flict rolling up beyond the woods in our front, and hear 
the roar of the battle. There we stayed and during all 
this time we were unable to determine from the sound 
how the battle was going. In the meantime the men 
and officers were debating as tq the probable result. Adjt. 
Caldwell of the Twelfth saying that Sheridan had about 
40,000 men and the enemy presumiably not so many, 
thought that we would win the day. At length toward 
evening the Eighth Corps (ours) struck the enemy on 
their left flank and soon their rout became general. They 
were sent through Winchester on the run. And the news 
of our victory soon reached us at the ford. 

(515) This was a bloody battle. The total Union lost 
being about 5,000, there being 4,300 killed and wounded. 
The total Rebel loss from the best obtainable data was 
about 4,000. Of this number about 2,000 were prisoners. 
If the data are correct, there was a great disparity in the 
losses of the two armies in killed and wounded. Early's 
losses in these lists being less than half of Sheridan's. This 
fact may be explained by reason of the enemy's having 
the protection of trees, rocks and other shelter during 
most of the battle. Besides the prisoners, Sheridan cap- 
tured five pieces of artillery and seven battle flags. 

(516) At the time of this battle of Winchester or the 
Opeguon, Sheridan had in the Valley an army of 4,300 

178 



WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY 

men, in round numbers ; while according to Pond's Shen- 
andoah Valley," the Rebel records show Early's force 
in that battle to be less than half that number. How- 
ever, there are some facts which point to the conclusion 
that the Rebel force was under estimated. Grant puts 
Early's strength at the time Sheridan was put in command 
of the Union forces in the Valley, August 7th at about 
30,000 ; and he was somewhat stronger at the time of the 
battle with Anderson's division absent, than he was at 
the date to which Grant refers. Greely says in his Ameri- 
can Conflict that, in a newspaper controversy between 
Sheridan and Early in 1865, Sheridan stated "that the 
prisoners taken by him from Early (during the Valley 
campaign) exceeded the number to which that general 
limited his entire command." 

(517) Sheridan was a dashing, rushing and seemingly 
reckless kind of man, with no pretense of pomp or polish. 
So when he sent his dispatch to Washington announcing 
his victory, he did not say, "Winchester is ours and fairly 
won" as the illustrious Gen. Sherman would perhaps have 
said, or that "Victory had perched upon our banners and 
we have sent the traitor hosts vanquished and vanquish- 
ing up the Valley," or anything of the kind ; but he simply 
said : "We have just sent them whirling through Win- 
chester." The following dispatch was received by Sheri- 
dan : 

(518) "Have just heard of your great victory. God 
bless you all, officers and men. Strongly inclined to come 
up and see you. A. LINCOLN." 

(519) Here is a characteristic incident showing some- 
what the style of man Sheridan was : In his first move- 
ment up the Valley in August, when we had reached 
Cedar Creek where the enemy was, the First and Twelfth, 
it will be recollected, were ordered to charge some Rebel 
skirmishers, one company of the Twelfth having prev- 
iously been put upon our skirmish line. Just as the two 
regiments were in the act of charging, Sheridan and 

179 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

Crook, passing from the right to the left along the skir- 
mish line to take in the situation, had come opposite the 
charging troops ; when Crook seemed inclined to stop and 
watch the result. Sheridan, however, appeared to be in 
a hurry, wanting to pass on ; so he said : "Come on 
Crook, never mind, they'll give them h — 11." Perhaps 
because of the character of Sheridan as indicated by this 
incident, and as shown by his dispatch to Washington 
as given, and the observations in connection therewith, 
he was popular with the soldiers. But by, more than all 
else in goining the victory at the Opeguon he gained 
their abiding confidence and admiration ; which fact gave 
promise of future victory. 

(520) The Twelfth with its brigade remained at the 
Berryville ford till the 22nd, when we marched, follow- 
ing the army up the Valley. We passed through Win- 
chester. From there we guarded a wagon train of 
supplies up to Cedar Creek reaching there about sun 
down, just as our army was driving Early's from 
Fisher's Hill, in sight from the creek. Sheridan employed 
the same tactics in this battle that he did in the battle of 
the Opequon, sending Crooks, (the Eighth) Corps to 
attack the enemy on on the flank. Sheridan's loss in 
this battle was only about 400; while Early's was be- 
tween 1,300 and 1,400 mostly prisoners. This time the 
enemy's loss was much the heavier making the losses in 
each army in the two battles about 5,400. Sheridan 
captured 16 cannons at Fisher's Hill. 

(521) After Early's rout his army retreated up the 
Valley, followed by Sheridan's after night for 12 miles 
to Woodstock. It was perhaps an unprecedented thing 
in the annals of the war for one army to follow another 
opposing army after dark on the same road, as was done 
in this instance. Our men had been dropping out of 
ranks all along the road to rest or sleep; and as the 
Twelfth passed along, it looked as though there was a 
string of those dropped out soldiers all along the 12 

180 



WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY 

miles from Strasburg to Woodstock. When our regi- 
ment reached this latter town there was not more than 
the equal of a company left in the ranks, the most of 
the Twelfth having fallen out of ranks too. Those of the 
regiment remaining in ranks, marched 35 miles that day 
and night. The Rebels were followed so sharply, that 
many of them to escape took to the mountains. It 
was said also that, in this right pursuit of the enemy, 
in some instances, a Union soldier becoming tired and 
sleepy and seeing some one lying by the road side, would 
stop there for company; and in the morning he would 
discover a Johnny by his side, who of course, would be 
made a prisoner. 

(522) The Twelfth remained at Woodstock one day 
with its corps, then pushing on after the bulk of the 
army to Harrisonburg, about 25 miles from Staunton, 
arrived there the 25th, the cavalry going as far as Staun- 
ton and Waynesboro destroying arms, ammunition and 
so forth at the latter place, and in accordance with 
Grant's orders all the mills, barns and stacks of hay and 
grain were burned, and the stock driven off in the Valley 
from Staunton down to Harrisonburg. The Sixth 
Corps and Nineteenth marched up to Mount Crawford 
on the 29th, and back to Harrisonburg the next day in 
support of the burning operations. 

(523) The army remained at Harrisonburg till 
October the fith ; when the whole force marched down 
the Valley, arriving at Strasburg the 8th. All the waj 
down to this place as we marched, the smoke could be 
seen rolling up behind us from the burning barns, mills 
and so forth. It was said that in many instances, in 
burning barns, reports of fire arms hidden in them and 
discharged by the heat were heard. Early reinforced by 
Anderson's division and Rosser's cavalry followed us 
down the Valley to Strasburg. The cavalry styled them- 
selves the Saviors of the Valley, and were particularly 
aggressive. Sheridan got tired of their annoyance and 

181 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

determined to dispose of these new found "Saviors of the 
Valley." He directed Torbet accordingly to start out at 
daylight on the morning of the 9th and "whip the Rebel 
cavalry or get whipped himself." Our cavalry promptly 
to time attacked Lomax's cavalry on the pike and Rosser's 
on the back road and after a fight of about two hours 
routed them on both roads, capturing about 330 prisoners, 
11 guns — all they had but one — and 47 wagons — "every- 
thing on wheels." The Rebels were run about 26 miles 
up the Valley on the jump. After the battle for the rest 
of the day, about all the saving the Johnnys wanted to 
do was to "save their bacon." Sheridan was very 
enthusiastic over this victory offering, it is said, $50 for 
the other piece of artillery. 

(524) The second clay after this battle of Tom's 
Brook, as it is called, the 11th, our brigade started from 
Cedar Creek for Martinsburg as a guard, with a wagon 
train and the captured property. Near Newton, which 
is about eight miles from Cedar Creek, we met two or 
three cavalrymen coming at a headlong rate. They be- 
longed to a party of 25 that had been guarding an ambu- 
lance conveying some officers and mail matters, which 
had just been attacked a little farther on by Mosby. This 
was a very bloody affair with our men nearly half of 
them being killed or wounded. Lieut. Col. Northcott 
stopped the command, and scoured the woods nearby, to 
see if there were any Rebels about; but it was too late. 
Mosby had got off with nearly all the unwounded and 
the ambulance. We camped that night at Winchester 
where we met Col. Curtis returning from a leave of 
absence, who now took command of the brigade. The 
next morning we marched for Martinsburg arriving there 
after dark. 

(525) We remained at Martinsburg two days. Dur- 
ing this time Mosby captured a train of cars at Kearny- 
ville, a town between former town and Harpers Ferry. 
On the afternoon of the 15th, we started to the front 



182 



WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY 

again with a wagon train arriving at Winchester the 
next day, at which place we were told to pitch onr tents, 
as we were likely to remain there for a few days. Ac- 
cordingly the tents were put up. 

(526) As hefore stated Early had followed Sheridan 
down the Valley from Staunton to Strasburg; but it 
was only the cavalry that came all the way, his infantry 
having halted at New Market. Sheridan believed the 
enemy would not again attempt to come down in force and 
therefore he had ordered the Sixth Corps to return to 
the Army of the Potomac in accordance with Grant's 
desire to have a part of the Valley force sent to him as 
soon as it could be spared. This corps had started to 
return about the time we had left Cedar Creek for Mar- 
tinsburg. But there was an unexpected turn in affairs. 
Early on the 13th had arrived with his whole army at 
Fisher's Hill, and without halting sent a reconnoitering 
force to Cedar Creek, which threw some shells into Tho- 
burn's camp while the men were at dinner. Thoburn's 
men were almost as much surprised as if the shells had 
dropped from the clouds ; for a reconnoitering party 
had been up the Valley the day before, ten or twelve 
miles, and reported that no enemy had been sen. Tho- 
burn's division was soon formd, and he undertook to 
capture the Rebel artillery, the command crossing the 
creek to attack it but, the enemy being in strong force 
he failed. Thoburn's loss in this engagement was 200 
or 300. The gallant Col. Wells of the Thirty-fourth 
Massachusetts was killed in this fight. After Early's 
demonstration in Sheridan's front, the Sixth Corps on 
its way to Grant by way of Washington, having got as 
far as the Shenandoah beyond Front Royal, was ordered 
back, arriving at Cedar Creek, the 14th. 

(527) The next day Sheridan received a message con- 
cerning the desired destruction of the Virginia Central 
railroad from Grant about which he, Grant, had been 
anxious for some time, and accordingly Merritt's division 

183 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

of cavalry was sent that night as far as Front Royal with 
the intention of reinforcing it by another division, the 
design being to employ these troops to break the road just 
referred to and also the James River Canal or at least 
to threaten them. Sheridan went with the cavalry to 
Front Royal, being on his way to Washington, going 
there at the urgent request of the authorities at the 
capitol to have a conference with them. But just before 
leaving Front Royal for Washington he received the 
following dispatch from Wright, copied from the Rebel 
signal flag on Massanutten Mountain in sight of our 
camp: 

"To Lieutenant General Early : 
Be ready to move as soon as my forces join you, 
and we will crush Sheridan. 

Longstreet, Lieutenant General." 

(528) Sheridan suspected this to be a trick of the 
enemy, which it was, but in order to be on the safe side, 
he ordered the cavalry back to Cedar Creek. In this 
instance the enemy in his strategy over-reached himself, 
and three days later on account of this trick, he had to 
fight two more divisions of cavalry than he would other- 
wise have had to do. Sheridan continued his journey 
from Front Royal to Washington, stopping on the way 
som hours at Rectortown to telegraph to and and get 
an answer from Halleck as to whether he had any 
information that Longstreet was or was not moving as 
indicated by the Rebel dispatch. Finally Halleck, after 
communicating with Grant at City Point answered : 
"General Grant says that Longstreet brought no troops 
with him from Richmond," adding some less important 
intelligence. After getting the telegram from Halleck 
Sheridan again pushed on toward the capitol. 

(529) Coming back to our brigade with the wagon 
train at Winchester, we remained there just two days, 
when by orders we were to guard the train on up to 

184 



WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY 

Cedar Creek, to start on the memorable morning of the 
19th of October, 1864. The soldiers generally of Sheri- 
dan's army by this time had settled down to the con- 
viction that the campaign of severe fighting was ended 
in the Valley for that year. And we at Winchester were 
at that time ignorant of the changed condition of things 
at the front ; so we lay clown to sleep the night before we 
were to start for Cedar Creek, little dreaming of what 
was in store for our army there, or of the pregnant events 
of the coming day. But the dawn of another day has 
come, and hark ! what thunderous sound from the south 
is that? "'Tis the cannons opening roar." The fair 
Valley is to be the scene of another day of blood and 
carnage ; the last battle for its possession. 

(530) Notwithstanding there was fighting going on 
at the front we started for Cedar Creek some 15 miles 
distant but we had not gone far when we met, at about 
o'clock some stragglers and wagon trains retreating 
from Cedar Creek. Col. Curtis then ordered his train 
to be parked. And now there was about to take place 
one of the most marked extraordinary and dramatic inci- 
dents or events, taken in connection with the outcome of 
it, in the annals of our country. Indeed it may be said 
it is imparalleled in the history of American warfare. It 
was Sheridan's Ride from Winchester to the army in 
front "to save the day." He rode up the pike past our 
brigade on his famous black horse at a brisk trot with a 
small escort following, at or soon after 9 o'clock in the 
forenoon, and every soldier of the brigade had a chance 
to witness the immortal scene. 

(531) When the stragglers were met. Col. Curtis 
threw a line of men across the road to stop them, and 
put them under guard. There have been statements say- 
ing, or leaving the impression, that the number of 
stragglers getting back to or near Winchester was quite 
large, but as well as is remembered, there were not 
more than 100 or 200 of them. Col. Curtis says that 



185 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

when Sheridan passing to the front came to where our 
brigade was noticed the demoralized stragglers, he rode 
up to them, and standing straight in his stirrups and 
gritting his teeth as he looked at them, shouted at the top 
of his voice : "Boys if you don't want to fight yourselves, 
come back and look at others fighting. We will whip 
them out of their boots before 4 o'clock. " He then 
ordered Col. Curtis to organize the stragglers into a 
battalion put officers in command of them and move im- 
mediately to the front with his entire force. This the 
Colonel proceeded to do, bringing up his wagon train. 
He had gone but a short distance, however, when he 
received another order from Sheridan to return to Win- 
chester and protect that place from an apprehended attack 
by Rebel cavalry. Accordingly the command returned 
with the train to the town. 

(532) Our army at Cedar Creek had met with a sur- 
prise attack mainly against its left flank. The Eighth 
Corps (Crook's) being farthest to the front and left, was 
struck first, just at break of dawn, before the men were 
all out of their tents, and being attacked almost simul- 
taneously in front,, flank and rear it was soon routed 
losing heavily in killed and wounded and prisoners, the 
loss in prisoners being quite large. Our army was forced 
back by the suddenness and vigor of the Rebel attack and 
principally by the necessity of having to give ground, in 
order to clear its flanks about four miles from Crook's 
camp by 11 o'clock A. M. It gave no further ground. 
And it appears that from about 9 o'clock it being that 
time before all our previously unengaged infantry had 
been engaged, the attacks of the enemy were feeble. This 
fact may be explained by the reason that they had been 
marching and fighting from near midnight, and because 
many of them had fallen out of ranks it seems, to plunder 
our camps. When Sheridan came up at about half past 
eleven A. M., the only parts of our force engaged were 
one division of the Sixth Corps and the cavalry, and 

186 



WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER [NFANTRY 

they not heavily. There was a lull before the counter- 
storm. 

(533) Sheridan came upon the field about half past 
eleven o'clock A. M. As he was approaching our army, 
tremendous cheers were heard in the rear. The cheering 
cam from th stragglers that, though there were not many 
of them far in the rear, were two or more thousand in 
number, from all the corps a mile or two in the rear. 
They were cheering the returning commander. And 
one of the singular and surprising incidents of this 
remarkable battle was that the stream of these stragglers 
now turned toward the front. It is not probable that 
any other commander in the Union army could have 
inspired so telling moral effect. When Sheridan reached 
the line of battle along which he rode swinging his hat, 
he was hailed by the men with throwing their hats and 
tempestuous cheering. While his arrival had an encour- 
aging effect on our men, it would ten no doubt to have a 
discouraging effect on the enemy, causing them 'to think 
that our army was getting reinforcements it may be. 

(534) Just before Sheridan came upon the field, the 
Rebels had been repulsed in an attack upon our left made 
to seize the pike. As soon as he observed the situation 
he resolved to drive the enemy from the field ; and he 
rode along the lines telling the men that they would sleep 
in their old quarters that night. He at once set about 
reforming his lines and strengthening his left. At about 
1 o'clock P. M., Early made an attack upon our left, but 
it was easily repulsed. Three hours later our lines being 
formed mainly on the northwest side of the pike and at 
right angle to it, Sheridan ordered an advance upon the 
enemy by a left half- wheel which was gallantly responded 
to by the whole line. The left of the enemy gave way 
first ; the rest of their line did not stand long, and soon 
their whole force was a flying mob. Our army pursued 
the routed Rebels capturing 1,200 prisoners, 24 guns. 
and much other property, besides retaking 24 guns lost 

187 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

in the morning. The field was won ; the day was saved ; 
our army had retaken its old camps ; Sheridan had made 
good his promise that the men should sleep in their old 
quarters that night, and thus was made the single instance 
in our history as a people of an army being thoroughly 
worsted in the morning, gaining a signal victory in the 
afternoon. Sheridan will go down to history as a unique 
and illustrious warrior. 

(535) Our loss in men in this battle of Cedar Creek 
was 5,764 in killed, wounded and prisoners, 1,429 being 
prisoners. Col. Thoburn of the First Virginia Infantry 
commanding a division, a gallant and highly esteemed 
officer, and Capt. Philip G. Bier were among the officers 
killed in this battle. This latter officer was enlisted by 
Col. Curtis as a private in Company D, of the Twelfth 
and appointed Orderly Sergeant of the company, January 
17th, 1863, he was promoted to Second Lieutenant and 
assigned to Company A. On the recommendation of 
Gen. Sullivan and others he was, in January, 1864, com- 
missioned as a Captain and A. A. G., and assigned to 
duty on Gen. Hunter's staff. He remained on his staff 
during the Hunter raid against Lynchburg and until Hun- 
ter was relieved ; when he was transferred to Gen. Crook's 
staff. Acting in the discharge of his duty in trying, dur- 
ing the battle to save the wagon and ambulance trains, he 
was mortally wounded, and died the following night. 
The officers of the Twelfth, for the high regard which 
they had for their gallant dead comrade, had his body 
embalmed and sent to Wheeling where it was buried. 

(536) According to Early's account of his loss in this 
battle was 1,860 in killed and wounded. Our army cap- 
tured 1,200 prisoners. If his account of his loss in killed 
and wounded is correct his total loss was 3,060. Assum- 
ing that Early's statement of his loss in killed and 
wounded is correct, our loss in this battle was almost 
double that of the enemy. This could reasonably be 

188 



WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY 

accounted for by the fact that our army had been sur- 
prised and taken at great disadvantage. 

(537) This battle of Cedar Creek shows, in matter 
of moment, how important it is that the first step, the 
initial movement should be sure and right. When Sheri- 
dan was put in command in the Valley, he patiently bided 
his time, when he could, as he did, take the enemy at a 
disadvantage in the battle of the Opequon, gaining a 
great victory thereby, and thus paved the way for the 
strong confidence the unbounded faith in him, on the 
part of his army, which enabled him to snatch victory 
from defeat in this latter memorable battle. Sheridan 
won a major general's commission in the regular army 
by this victory. In tendering the commission a few 
weeks later, President Lincoln said in part, that it was 
"for a brilliant victory achieved over the Rebels for the 
third time in pitched battle within thirty days." 

(538) The next morning after the battle our brigade 
left Winchester at about 2 o'clock for Cedar Creek arriv- 
ing there the same morning at about 8 o'clock with the 
wagon train. When we arrived on the battle field some 
of the Rebel dead were yet unburied. The following day 
the 21st, the Twelfth with its brigade marched down the 
pike about seven miles to Newtown to guard the tem- 
porary hospital at that place. We remained at this town 
for over two weeks. On the 25th, the soldiers here who 
were citizens of West Virginia voted for President. An 
old diary written at the time says that there were only 
four or five votes for McClellan ; whether in the brigade 
or our regiment it does not say. The next day Gen. Duffie 
was captured between Winchester and Martinsburg. 

(539) During the stay at Newtown. Mosby was 
around in the vicinity twice, one time capturing a forage 
train within a mile or two of town, and getting off with 
the mules. Both times the Twelfth went out after him, 
but saw nothing of him. It was useless to send infantry 
after mounted men. On the 13th the First Virginia left 
for Cumberland, Md. 

189 



CHAPTER XI. 

(540) While the Twelfth remained at Newtown, there 
was nothing of special interest occurred other than has 
been mentioned. As winter and bad weather were 
approaaching, in order that we might be closer to our 
base of supplies, the infantry moved back from Cedar 
Creek on the 9th of November to Kearnstown ; the next 
day the cavalry followed and late in the evening of this 
same day. and lost of all, the two remaining regiments of 
our brigade moved down and joined our corps with the 
army. The next day we put up our tents. The Sixth 
Corps and the Nineteenth, worked at throwing up forti- 
fications all day. 

(511) The next day after Sheridan's amy left Cedar 
Creek, Early thinking that perhaps our force had been 
withdrawn to send part of it to Grant, moved his army 
down from New Market ti Middletown. He was thus on 
the day, the evening of which the Twelfth left its camp 
at Newtown, within five miles of us at that place Sheridan 
was ready to meet him ; and sent out the cavalry on the 
12th against the Rebel cavalry. Merritt's and Custer's 
divisions on the right of the pike, and Powell on the Front 
Royal road. They drove the Rebel cavalry back. Powell 
attacked McCausland's brigade at Stony Point and routed 
it capturing its two guns and 245 officers and men. The 
army was ordered to be prepared for battle the next day ; 
but. though Early had, according to the reports of citizens 
been considerably reinforced after the battle of Cedar 
Creek, he had by this time acquired a wholesome regard 
for the fighting qualities of Sheridan's army: and finding 
that it was still in the Valley in force, he concluded not 
to risk a battle, but returned to his camp at New Market 
the 14th. 

(542) The Twelfth remained with the army at 



191 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

Kearnstown for two weeks. On the 19th — the day of 
the month in each instance, on which Sheridan's two 
great battles were fought, the battle of the Opequon 
and the battle of Cedar Creek — orders were read to our 
regiment from Gen. Sheridan naming this army, the 
Army of the Shenandoah, and the camp here, Camp Rus- 
sell. On the 23rd the boys of the Twelfth had abundance 
of chicken sent them from somewhere for Thanksgiving 
dinner. 

(543) Here is a somewhat characteristic ancedote of 
an Irishman of the Nineteenth Corps : It is believed 
that it was while the Twelfth was at Camp Russell, that 
this Irishman, who had evidently been embibing freely of 
the ardent, was noticed sauntering through the camp sing- 
ing as he sauntered an apparently impromptu song, and 
staggering considerably as he sauntered and sang. His 
corps had suffered heavily in the battle of the Opequon. 
And his song related to the part it had taken in that battle. 
This much of the song is remembered : 

"The nineteenth of September 

In eighteen sixty-four, 

Is long to be remembered 

By the Nineteenth Army Corps." 

(544) The following is an amusing episode of soldier 
life that will be appreciated by the boys generally, and 
some of them will no doubt remember it. In order that 
a better understanding of it may be had by others than 
soldiers it may be well to say that, as is well known by all 
soldiers who campaigned in the Valley of Virginia, the 
guerrila Mosby was a dangerous enemy, and a terror to 
all soldiers disposed to straggle. Sheridan once remarked 
that Mosby was as good to keep up his, Sheridan's, 
stragglers as would have been a regiment for that pur- 
pose; Mosby was also something of a bugaboo, and a 
subject of jest among the soldiers. 

(545) It was perhaps while we were at Camp Russell 
that one day a merchant tailor came into camp from 

192 



WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY 

Wheeling, to see the officers of the Twelfth with a view to 
taking orders for new uniforms. He wore a plug hat. 
Now when a stranger appeared in camp in citizens' dress, 
that fact was sufficient to excite in the minds of the sol- 
diers a suggestion of a possible spy in the person of the 
stranger; and Mosby being an ever present bugbear in 
the minds of the soldiers, his name would naturally be 
associated with that of the stranger. So when the Wheel- 
ing man appeared on the streets of the camp wearing his 
plug hat, the boys raised a general yell of Mosby! Mosby! 
Mosby mingled with some remarks about the plug hat. 
Men can stand almost anything better than derision, es- 
pecially when it comes from a great crowd ; and quickly 
"catching on" to the fact that he, the Wheeling man, was 
the object of the noisy attention, he shot into an officer's 
tent and would not come out until he had exchanged his 
plug hat for a slouch hat, which some officer managed to 
get for him. 

(546) The Twelfth marched from Camp Russell on 
the 24th to Stevenson's Depot, five miles northeast of 
Winchester. The railroad track had recently been relaid 
to that place. We remained here over three weeks. The 
duty at this place was heavy, our brigade having to unload 
all the cars which brought supplies to the army- and do 
picket duty besides. On the 16th of December one hun- 
dred guns were fired at Camp Russell in honor of Gen. 
Thomas's victory the day before at Nashville. When we 
heard the firing at first we thought the enemy had at- 
tacked our forces at the front. But before long a dispatch 
came from Sheridan telling the reason of the firing. The 
next day another salute was fired at the front in honor of 
Gen. Thomas's victory in the second day's fighting at 
Nashville, and the fall of Savannah and its occupancy by 
Sherman. 

(547) Before the middle of December, Early, having 
sent the bulk of his command to Lee. the last of the Sixth 
Corps had gone to the Army of the Potomac, and on the 

193 . 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

19th the Third Brigade of our division took the cars at 
Stevenson's Depot for the Army of the James. Later the 
same day our brigade followed, having to ride in filthy 
cattle cars. Owing to a scarcity of cars some of the men 
had to ride on top of them, and, the weather being cold, 
they suffered considerably, especially those who rode on 
top of the cars. We got to Washington at eight o'clock 
a. m. the next day, the cars landing us at the wharf. The 
men would have been glad to see the city, but they were 
not permitted to do so. While we were waiting for a 
few hours to be marched on board a transport, some citi- 
zens standing about were, as was natural, making re- 
marks about us. One fellow was overheard to volunteer 
the pleasant reminder concerning us, that "There are more 
of those fellows going to Grant's army than will ever get 
back." And this citizen's tone seemed to indicate that 
he exulted in the thought. May be, too, the wish was 
father to the thought. 

(548) About 12 o'clock m. our regiment went aboard 
of the transports. A part of us went on a small craft 
called the Putnam. This vessel was soon on its way down 
the Potomac. As we passed down we got a view of 
Mount Vernon. About 10 p. m. we anchored for the 
night. We started at daylight the next morning, the 21st. 
We ran into the St. Mary's River at about 4 o'clock p. m. 
that day, and cast anchor on account of the high wind. 
We were now 100 miles from Washington. All the next 
day we were detained here by the high wind ; and owing 
to some mismanagement we had not rations enough, and 
the men ran out of them. 

( 549) At daylight the 23rd our vessel weighed anchor 
and a run of ten miles brought us to Point Lookout at 
the mouth of the Potomac. We stopped here and drew 
three days' rations. Twelve thousand Rebel prisoners 
were confined here at that time. From this point we 
passed down the Chesapeake Bay, and some time in the 
night anchored near Fortress Monroe. We started up 

194 



WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY 

the James River early the next morning and arrived at 
City Point on the south side of the river, about dark. 
Changing boats here we ran up 20 miles farther, 80 miles 
from Fortress Monroe, and landed on the north side, 
near the Dutch Gap canal. 

(550) Before the soldiers of the Twelfth went to 
Grant's army they had a somewhat exaggerated idea of 
the fierceness and fatality of the fighting there. They 
had some kind of a vague idea that, like the fly in the 
spider's parlor, in the story of the "Spider and the Fly," 
where they got into it once, there was an excellent chance 
of not getting out of it again alive. But in so great an 
army as Grant had naturally soldiers would be going to 
and from it all the time; and somewhere on the Potomac 
or Chesapeake Bay, we met a vessel with a number of sol- 
diers aboard, going to the rear. When the returning sol- 
diers were noticed Major Brown remarked in a kind ot 
serio-comic way in an illusion to the supposed extreme 
unhealthiness of the service in Grant's army: "Well. I 
notice that some fellows at least are getting back from the 
army before Richmond alive!" 

(551) The next morning (Christmas) after landing 
we got off the vessel and the other transport with the rest 
of the Twelfth having arrived, the regiment marched 
about four miles to where the other troops of our division 
were camped, and took the quarters temporarily vacated 
by Gen Butler's troops, who had gone to attempt the cap- 
ture of Fort Fisher. We remained in these quarters sev- 
eral days, during which there was nothing occurred 
worthy of mention except that the enemy kept throwing 
shells at short intervals at our men working at the Dutch 
Gap canal ; and once when there was heavy cannonading 
toward Petersburg we were called out in line, the general 
in command on our side of the James apparently fearing 
an attack. 

(552) On the 30th some of the troops that had been 
on the Fort Fisher expedition returned and we had to 



195 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

vacate our quarters and move some three miles farther to 
the right and put up winter quarters. The Fifty-fourth 
Pennsylvania, the Twenty-third Illinois and the Twelfth 
West Virginia, January 1st, 1865, were brigaded together 
and designated as the Second Brigade, Col. Curtis com- 
manding. Our division was known as the Second or 
Independent Division, Twenty-fourth Corps, Col. T. M. 
Harris, afterward succeeded by Gen. John Turner, com- 
manding the division ; and Gen. John Gibbon commanded 
the corps. 

(553) When the Twelfth was transferred to the Army 
of the James, Gen. Butler was in command of it, but hav- 
ing failed in his expedition against Fort Fisher, he was 
relieved and Gen. Ord was put in command of it, which 
consisted of two corps, the Twenty-fourth and the Twen- 
ty-fifth, the latter being colored troops. The Dutch Gap 
canal referred to was Gen. Butler's project. The object 
of the undertaking was to make a channel across a nar- 
row neck of land, made by a long horse-shoe bend in the 
river, so as to enable our vessels to avoid obstructions in 
the bend, and pass up to Richmond. Of course, the enemy 
tried to prevent work at the canal and to this end, as be- 
fore stated, firing shells at intervals at the workers (col- 
ored men) was kept up ; but the work went on. The men 
dug holes in the side of the canal, which they called 
gopher holes. There was also a high lookout nearby from 
which a man kept a constant watch, and when the Rebels 
fired a shot he would cry out "Gopher hole!" and the 
"darks" would bounce into the holes and remain there 
until the shell exploded. Then they would come out and 
go to work again. It used to be great fun for the boys to 
watch the "darks" run for cover when the lookout man 
gave notice of a shot by the enemy. This working and 
shelling was kept up for perhaps a month after we had 
gone to the Army of the James. But the canal when it 
was completed as far as it could be under the circum- 

196 



WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY 

stances, proved to be a failure, no considerable volume of 
water passing through it, at that time at least. 

(554) When we got to the Army of the James we wit- 
nessed a condition of affairs different from anything we 
had hitherto seen. On the left of our lines in front of 
Fort Harrison the pickets were probably not more than 
50 yards apart. They paced bacward and forward on 
their several beats as though all was serene between the 
opposing pickets. If, however, either side had advanced, 
or perhaps, if one man had shot at the enemy, a bloody 
ball of battle would have opened ; but the one man did not 
fire; and all was quiet on our side of the river, while on 
the opposite side there was constant firing going on night 
and day, between the pickets there. 

(555) Our duties in this army consisted of making 
"corduroy" roads over the soft and muddy ground, the 
cutting and hauling of firewood, drilling a little and pre- 
paring for inspections, going on picket about once a week, 
besides for the greater part of our time here, having to 
stand in line of battle, just outside of our works, for an 
hour or so from awhile before day each morning. How- 
ever, our service this winter in the Army of the James 
was as easy as any we had had, and very much easier than 
some of our previous soldiering. The picket duty was 
comparatively light, and then we were here free from the 
exhausting, killing marching connected with much of our 
previous service. 

(556) On the 7th of January Lieut. Col. Northcott 
made us a farewell speech, his resignation some time pre- 
viously tendered, having been accepted. Owing to the 
high regard and esteem the Twelfth had for him, both as 
a man and as a soldier, the command parted with him 
with regret. Major Brown and Capt. Burley of Company 
A were both promoted on the Twelfth, the former to be 
Lieutenant Colonel and the latter to be Major, this mak- 
ing the second promotion for Brown and the third for 
Burley. 

197 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

(557) On the 17th an order came around announcing 
the fact of the capture of the Rebel fort, Fort Fisher, by 
the combined attack of our land and naval forces, the for- 
mer under Gen. Terry, and the latter under Admiral Por- 
ter. A salute was fired here at 12 o'clock this day in honor 
of the victory. Our brigade was inspected on the 22nd, 
and the Twelfth, having passed the best inspection of any 
regiment in it, was excused from duty for one week. On 
the 24th, there having been heavy cannonading not far off 
all the night before, an order was promulgated saying that 
the Rebel gunboats had come down the James that night 
and our batteries commanding the river had sunk one, 
and caused two others to run aground. An attack was 
expected this night and we had orders to be ready to form 
ranks at a moment's notice. 

(558) From this time on, while the opposing armies 
faced each other here, desertions from the enemy were of 
growing frequency. February 1th, a lieutenant colonel 
and captain deserted from the Rebels in front of the pick- 
ets of our division. When desertions of officers of their 
rank were taking place, it began to look like "the begin- 
ning of the end." A few days later Richmond papers 
obtained from the Rebel pickets an account of the failure 
of the Peace Commission, composed of President Lincoln 
and others on the part of the Government, and Vice Pres- 
ident Stephens and others on the part of the Rebels, which 
met at Hampton Roads. It was exceedingly fortunate 
and well for the future of the country that the fatally blind 
obstinacy of the Rebels that had characterized them from 
the first caused them to refuse to consider any proposition 
of peace except on the basis of their independence. 

(559) Concerning the Peace Commission, Gen. Grant 
tells a story of Lincoln, which will bear reproduction. 
Stephens was a very small man, but it seems that he wore 
a large overcoat on the occasion of the meeting of the 
commission. Some time after this Lincoln, being on a 
visit to Grant, after a little previous conversation, the talk 

198 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

turning on the commission, asked Grant if he had seen 
that overcoat of Stephen's. He replied that he had. "Did 
you see him take it off?" said Lincoln. "Yes," said Grant. 
"Well," inquired Lincoln, "didn't you think it was the big- 
gest shuck and the least ear that ever you did see?" 

( 560) Camp life here was anything but dull. There 
was always something occurring of an exciting character. 
Besides the operations of the armies here, the booming of 
cannon for instance, that was not unfrequently heard, 
causing a lively interest as to what it signified, we had or- 
ders at various times announcing victories of our armies 
at other places, and salutes fired in their honor. And then 
a camp rumor startling in character could be heard at al- 
most any hour, by which the soldiers were not much 
startled, however, being used to them. In fact, there are 
few if any pursuits in civil life calculated to keep up the 
tension of excitement like life in a camp of a great army 
in time of war. On the 9th a soldier who was a deserter 
and bounty jumper was taken outside the works and shot 
in the presence of a whole division. The night following 
three of the Tenth Connecticut Infantry substitutes de- 
serted to the enemy, passing through our lines, where 
some of the Twelfth were on picket. One of them shot at 
the deserters, but missed them. The enemy had issued an 
order saying that all deserters from our army should be 
sent through the lines North, and that was the reason 
those fellows deserted. 

( 561 ) On the 21st our division was reviewed, and this 
same day one hundred guns were fired from Fort Harri- 
son on the north side of the James and near the camp of 
the Twelfth, in honor of the taking of Charleston and 
Columbia, S. C, by Sherman. The next day a salute was 
fired in honor of Washington's birthday. Twelve days 
later, March 7th, the news was received in camp of Sheri- 
dan's victory at Waynesboro, in the Valley, over Early, 
in which nearly all the latter's force was captured. No 
doubt Sheridan's cavalry, the loyal people everywhere. 

199 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

and especially the citizens along the Baltimore & Ohio 
railroad in the Valley were jubilant over this final elimina- 
tion of Jubal. 

(562) On the 17th our corps was reveiwed by Gen. 
Grant and staff, accompanied by a number of distin- 
guished gentlemen and ladies. Among them was Ad- 
miral Porter, Secretary Stanton, Mrs. Grant and many 
others. An incident of this review is remembered. The 
troops were closely massed by brigades perhaps. The 
Fifty-fourth Pennsylvania commanded by Major Davis, 
belonged, it will be remembered, to our brigade. Davis 
was a nervous, excitable man. As Grant and staff were 
passing rapidly in front of the troops, the various brigades 
and divisions greeted them with a great volume of cheers. 
This excited Davis, and as Grant drew near, the former, 
his eyes shining and apparently bulging out, in an excited 
and vehement manner, gave the command to his men to 
cheer, throwing in a simile more forcible than polite, say- 
ing, "Cheer like men !" causing the whole brigade 

to burst forth in laughter. Sad to say this officer was 
afterward killed at the capture of Fort Gregg. 

(563) The boys generally made up their minds on the 
occasion of this grand review that something was about 
to be done. Experience had made them shrewd in inter- 
preting transactions relating to the army in general ; in 
putting this and that together. And right here it may be 
well to speak of what was regarded as a possible under- 
taking before the Army of the James. In front of and 
along part of our lines quite near to us and in plain view 
were the Rebel breast works with abatis in front. Back 
of these were numerous forts mounted with cannon, the 
forts commanding each other so that if one were taken it 
would be under the fire of the others. Besides, as was 
generally known after the capture of Richmond, there 
were torpedoes planted in front of their forts to make 
them still more impregnable. Looking at the Rebel de- 
fences from our side, it seemed that to undertake their 



200 



WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY 

capture it would be like rushing into a death-trap. And 
yet our men fronting them regarded this desperate task 
as far from improbable. 

(564) On the 19th eight deserters from the Palmetto 
Sharpshooters, all from one company, came into our divi- 
sion headquarters. They, it seemed, had got a sufficiency 
of "rights," also about all the dying-in-the-last-ditch they 
cared for, and as to the "stars and bars" and "The Bonny 
Blue Flag" — well, they were willing to part from them 
for a time at least. 

(565) On the 22nd Gen. Turner was assigned to the 
command of our division, Gen. Harris thereafter to com- 
mand the Third Brigade. Two days later we received 
orders to be ready to march at 6 o'clock the next morn- 
ing, the 25th. We moved out at daylight that day, Sheri- 
dan, being on his return from the Valley to Grant's Army, 
and as the evening might, it was supposed, try to inter- 
cept him, our movement was in aid of him. We went as 
far as the Chickahominy, passing over a part of McClel- 
lan's old battlefields ; but we saw nothing of Sheridan, he 
having crossed farther down the stream. We returned to 
our camp in the evening. In passing over the ground of 
the Seven Days' Fight, numerous bones of the fallen brave 
could be seen. A rather grotesque incident occurred on 
this march to and from the historic Chickahominy. 

( 566) Asst. Surgeon Neil of the Twelfth at that time 
was something of a wag. Moving slowly and cautiously 
along over the battlefield, as we did, he had ample time to 
pick up a skull, which he did. There was a round hole in 
it. just as such a musket ball would make, and it needed no 
telling that that was what made it. The command coming 
to a temporary halt, he held up the skull, and assuming an 
air of solemnity, began a sort of mock lecture somewhat 
after the manner of a phrenologist. He said in substance 
about as follows : 

(567) "Gentlemen." said he. "examining the bumps 
upon this cranium hastily, yet as carefully as circum- 

201 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

stances will at present permit, assisted by the light of past 
and passing events, I think that I may say, with a confi- 
dence amounting to conviction, and that you will be justi- 
fied in accepting my statement as an assured fact, that 
the original possessor of this poll was evidently of a more 
or less combative disposition. And gentlemen, judging 
from the light of current history, and the apparent time 
that this skull' has lain where it was picked up, and the 
patent, convincing, ocular evidence sustaining me in the 
assertion, I have no doubt that the wearer of this cranium 
died of a gun shot wound." 

(568) The boys within hearing smiled, some audibly, 
and as the march was resumed their arms and equip- 
ments felt less heavy on account of this display of wag- 
gishness. 



202 



CHAPTER XII. 

( 569) On the afternoon of the 17th, as preparatory to 
Grant's grand movement against the forces of Lee in 
front of Richmond and Petersburg, two divisions of the 
Twenty-fourth Corps, ours and the First, and one division 
of the Twenty-fifth Corps (colored), crossed the James 
and the Appommattox, and marched toward the left of 
our lines, southwest of Petersburg. Our division marched 
all night, passing in the rear of the lines of the Army of 
*he Potomac, and as we marched along, pretty heavy fir- 
ing of the pickets close to our right was heard for nearly 
the whole distance. We halted about daylight in the 
morning in front of Petersburg and at 10 o'clock a. m. 
we resumed our march toward the left, followed by the 
other troops of Gen. Ord's Army of the James, camping 
within about two miles of Humphrey's Station. The next 
day, the 29th, the whole army, except enough to hold the 
intrenchments, moved to the left, our division going that 
morning to Humphrey's Station. We could hear cannon- 
ading farther to the left during this day. That night it 
rained all night. 

(570) At daylight, the 30th, our division moved again, 
the rain still falling. In the afternoon a train of ambu- 
lances passed to the rear loaded with wounded from the 
Fifth Corps. Also a lot of prisoners were brought in and 
sent off on the cars. The next morning at about 8 o'clock 
the rain ceased, it having rained all the night before, and 
our division advanced to Hatcher's Run; and the enemy 
resisting this advance, it had some pretty hard fighting. 
At this time the Second Corps and the Fifth and Sheri- 
dan's cavalry were on our left. Before daylight the fol- 
lowing day, April 1st, the Rebels charged the skirmish 
line of our division, but were repulsed. In this charge a 
Rebel soldier, either deceived, or intending to deceive our 



203 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

men, came running up to Company E of the Twelfth on 
the skirmish line, exclaiming: "You are firing on your 
own men !" Lieut. Hugill of that company walked up to 
him, took his gun and sent him to the rear a prisoner. 

(571) Concerning operations here at this time, Lieut. 
Col. Holliday of the Fifteenth West Virginia, command- 
ing a brigade at the time, told of an incident, according 
to a comrade, about Lieut. E. F. Piggott of Company G, 
which may be here given. Holliday, with his brigade, 
undertook to capture a Rebel fort in his front and Lieut. 
Piggott, being on the skirmish line then at that point, 
when the brigade charged, co-operated in the charge with 
his company. The attempt failed. Holliday and Piggott 
were in front of their men, and the men, giving ground 
almost before the officers knew of it, they were left be- 
tween the lines, and, the fire of the enemy being hot, they 
took cover behind stumps. While they were thus under 
cover Holliday glanced from behind his stump, and seeing 
an overcoat in front said that he would like to have it; 
and Lieut. Piggott coolly and deliberately, said Holliday, 
got from behind his stump, walked forward, picked up 
the coat, brought it back and gave it to him. Some few 
years since Piggott, poor fellow, passed to the Beyond. 

(572) All night of the 1st we could hear on our right, 
toward Petersburg, the deep sounds and see the flashes of 
light caused by the firing of our siege-guns. At short 
intervals the whole heavens were made lurid by the dis- 
charge of the artillery. This day Sheridan, with his cav- 
alry and the Fifth Corps, had had his victory at Five 
Forks, southwest of Petersburg. This firing was kept up 
to prevent, perhaps, the enemy from detaching troops in 
our front for the purpose of recapturing Five Forks, a 
vital point to them. As the Rebels lay behind their in- 
trenchments that night it may be that they regarded this 
thundering and lightning of Uncle Sam's siege-guns as 
betokening his vengeful wrath, and their impending 
doom. Grant gave orders for the Sixth Corps on our 



204 



WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY 

right and opposite the Rebel center, expecting the enemy 
to withdraw troops from there to attack the lines in its 
front as soon as possible in the morning, the 2nd ; and for 
all the other troops to held themselves in readiness to at- 
tack. The Twelfth took a position and lay close up to 
the enemy's lines that night, fully expecting to have to 
attack his intrenchments in the morning; but fortunately 
it did not have this to do. 

(573) The Sixth Corps, having broken the lines in its 
front, the Rebels soon thereafter evacuated their works 
in our front. Our brigade then moved to the right to- 
ward Petersburg, arriving near the city a little after noon. 
By this time all the enemy's works southwest of the city 
had fallen into our hands, except three forts near it, and 
several thousand prisoners besides. Our brigade partici- 
pated with great credit that afternoon in the capture of 
Fort Gregg, and the Twelfth made for itself a proud rec- 
ord. An incident of a little while previous to the capture 
is remembered. After our brigade had got within a half 
mile of the fort, marching along we passed near a few 
soldiers not on duty. They seemed to regard us seriously, 
as being new troops to them and the Army of the Poto- 
mac. One of them looked at us rather dubiously and said 
in substance: "I wonder if those fellows will stand up to 
it," implying that they thought there was fighting before 
us. We, however, had little idea of the serious work just 
at hand. If those soldiers watched the part we took in 
the capture of Fort Gregg, they doubtless had their minds 
disabused of any doubts as to whether we would stand up 
to it, at least as well as the average soldiers. 

( 574) Our brigade was marched up and halted in line 
on high ground facing toward Fort Gregg to the north. 
All was quiet as yet, there being no firing. When we 
reached this ground we could see some of our troops, a 
part of the First Division of our corps, a little to the right 
of a direct line from us to the fort, and pretty close up to 
it. They were in a wavering condition, having failed to 

205 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

enter the fort. A little later an aid rode up to Col. Curtis, 
evidently giving an order. The colonel looked a little pale, 
but unflinching, and almost before we had time to think, 
and without any announcement of what we had to do, 
the order of "Attention, Second Brigade, shoulder arms; 
right shoulder shift, arms ; forward double quick march," 
was given. The boys seemed to know by a common un- 
derstanding what was wanted, and, giving a yell, a sort of 
"Rebel yell," they started on the charge, running like 
mad their very best, seeming to realize that the sooner 
they got to the fort, the fewer of them would get killed. 
(575) The fort was in plain view from the point from 
which we charged, and as the ground over which we 
charged was mainly clean and open, and the lay of the 
land was such that the fort was not lost sight of at any 
time during the charge. The distance to be charged over 
was perhaps 500 yards down a slope and up a slope. In 
the hollow or foot of the slopes, something less than half 
way to the fort, there was some low swamp brush. When 
this was reached the enemy opened on our men, apparently 
with grape or canister. The balls could be heard striking 
in the mud and clashing through the brush, but, as seemed 
surprising, few if any were hit just at that place. The 
men rushed rapidly on their ranks, necessarily much 
broken by their passing through the low swamp brush, 
their different capabilities as runners, and their all rushing 
toward the one point, the fort. And they never stopped 
or scarcely so, until the bulk of them were in the deep 
ditch surrounding the fort. All the time after our men 
had come within close range, the enemy poured into them 
a hot musketry fire ; but they escaped being hit remarka- 
bly, owing to the rapidity of our men's movements, and 
the Rebels' overshooting, aided materially evidently by the 
troops of the First Division's drawing the Rebels fire, and 
by their return fire, compelling the Rebels to a considera- 
ble extent to keep under cover. 

(57G) When the order to charge was given Private 



200 



WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER [NFANTRY 

J. \Y. Caldwell of Company D took off his hat and, swing- 
ing it over his head, shouted: "That's our fort, that's our 
fort;" hut the gallant hoy, falling dead upon the field, 
failed to witness its capture. Gen. Turner, commanding 
the division, after the hrigade had got part of the way to 
the fort, and was under heavy fire, believing that the 
birgade was insufficient to take the fort, sent an order to 
Col. Curtis to halt his men and await reinforcements, but 
the men rushed on. Col. G. B. Caldwell, who was adju- 
tant of the Twelfth till the winter of 1864-5, in his eulo- 
gium upon Col. Curtis at the reunion of the Society of the 
Army of West Virginia in 1891, says in regard to the 
order to Col. Curtis to halt his brigade: "But American 
soldiers are men of intelligence. With one mind they 
thought they were more certain to be shot down if they 
turned their backs than if they went on. They rushed 
forward." So far as this statement implies that the men 
heard that order, it appears to be a mistake. It is believed 
that few if any of the rank and file heard the order. It 
would have taken a dozen or more men of the greyhound 
type to have carried that order to the men after they got 
on the go for that fort. 

i 5*3 7 ) When within 50 yards of the fort Sergt. Eman- 
uel M. Adams of Company D, color-bearer, fell wounded. 
The colors were picked up and bravely carried forward by 
Private Joseph R. Logsden of Company C, as the brigade 
charged on over the dead and wounded of the First Divi- 
sion. After our men had got into the ditch surrounding 
the fort, they remained there perhaps twenty minutes be- 
fore they made an entrance. In the meantime the Rebels 
were throwing dirt, stones and various kinds of missiles 
upon them. At length as a movement toward entering 
the fort, the gallant Logsden undertook to plant the flag 
of the Twelfth upon the parapet, and was killed, falling 
back into the ditch. The colors were then seized by 
Lieut. Joseph Caldwell of Company A. who leaped upon 
the parapet, and in attempting to plant the colors there 

207 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

was killed, falling also into the ditch. The flag fell inside 
of the fort. Then the brave boys of the Twelfth rushed 
to the parapet to recover their flag. They were joined 
by comrades of the rest of the brigade. Pouring a volley 
into the Rebels, the boys of the Twelfth leaped into the 
fort and planted their flag on the parapet — the first colors 
on the Rebel works. The fort and its brave defenders 
were soon ours, all the troops present joining in their 
capture. But the reduction of the fort was at fearful cost 
to the Union troops, the loss being in killed and wounded 
715, as will be seen in Col. Caldwell's address at Hunt- 
ington, herein given. 

(578) After events seem to show conclusively that 
this great sacrifice was unnecessary, for the fort would 
have been evacuated the following night without it. But 
it was here that the Twelfth won its eagle, and Col. Cur- 
tis his star, and Capt. Bristor won promotion for his 
gallant conduct. It was here, too, that Lieut. J. M. Cur- 
tis won a medal of honor, and Andrew O. Apple of Com- 
pany I and Joseph McCauslin of Company D also won 
their medals of honor. And to add to the grace and beauty 
of the distinction, those medals were pinned upon the 
lapels of the boys' coats by the fair hands of the daughter 
of Gen. John Gibbon, our corps commander. There are 
very respectable members of Private George H. Bird's 
Company (I), it should be added, who believed that he 
should have had a medal of honor, as he was among the 
first few who climbed upon the parapet of the fort. 

(579) The next morning, the 3rd, after the capture of 
Fort Gregg, it was found that the enemy had evacuated 
Richmond and Petersburg, and nearly all the troops be- 
fore these cities, including our division, started imme- 
diately in pursuit. And not to prolong the history too 
much, it will simply be said that we followed the Rebels 
for several days, there being more or less fighting and 
captures of prisoners by some part of Grant's forces every 
day. However, a material matter somewhat closely con- 

208 



WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY 

nected with the history of the Twelfth regarding this par- 
ticular time, should not be omitted. On the 6th, the Fifty- 
fourth Pennsylvania and another regiment of infantry, 
with a squadron of cavalry were sent out in the direction 
of Farmville under command of Brig. Gen. Theodore 
Read to burn a bridge near there in advance of the re- 
treating Rebels. But they were surrounded by a large 
force of the enemy, many killed and wounded, including 
Gen. Read killed, and the rest all captured. The Eighth, 
two divisions of our corps, the First Division and the 
Independent, marched all day and until 11 o'clock at night, 
making in that time, it was said at the time, a distance of 
:!") miles. We did not then precisely know the object of 
this forced march. We did not know but that we were 
following the Rebels, but we found afterward that we 
were being pushed to cut off their retreat. 

(580) An incident concerning a private of Company I, 
Alexander B. Allison, is perhaps well worth telling here. 
The boys of the Twelfth, like those of other regiments 
perhaps, were much given to discussing the probable out- 
come of any military undertaking. On this forced march 
the boys struck up a discussion as to the probability of 
overtaking Lee's army, the likelihood of a battle, and the 
probable result of it. Finally some of the boys said that 
they had seen enough of the Johnnys and that they wished 
that they, the Johnnys, would go on until they should run 
into the Gulf of Mexico. Fighting the Johnnys was no 
longer a picnic. The time had passed when the boys were 
"spoiling for a fight," and as the average man is generally 
willing to postpone a possibly fatal ordeal, so the most of 
the boys were doubtless willing to delay an engagement 
with the enemy. Private Allison, however, then about 19 
years of age, spoke up showing the grit to perform a dis- 
agreeable duty immediately, saying: "Boys, if I have to 
fight the Rebels at all I am willing to do it right now. I 
do not desire to follow them for a week or two, and then 
have to fight them at last." 

209 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

(581) We camped this night in a piece of woods to 
the side of the road not far, as we learned afterward, from 
the Southside railroad. It happened that the cavalry a 
short time before had captured a train of cars containing 
subsistence for Lee's army, and the train was lying not 
far from our camp. One of the boys of Company I some- 
how found out that the train was there, and he got by 
some sort of management a large piece of bacon, as much 
as he could well carry, and brought it to camp, dividing 
it among a number of the company. This was a welcome 
supplement to the rations. 

(582) Before daylight on the morning of the ever 
memorable 9th of April, a day that will stand out as con- 
spicuously in our history as that of the surrender at York- 
town, if not more so, we started to cut off and surround 
the Rebels in their retreat, to engage and vanquish them 
in their Last Ditch, and give a finishing stroke to the Lost 
Cause ; and thus to give to the loyal people of the Nation 
the fruition of their indominatable struggles, through hope 
through darkness and doubt, for four long and bloody 
years ; to illuminate the land with joy, and to fill it with 
a great gladness such as it had not known for generations. 

(583) We marched not very far when we were started 
on the double-quick along the road, just as day was break- 
ing. We had marched thus rapidly only for a few min- 
utes, when some cavalry were observed coming out of 
woods on our right at a rather rapid rate, though in good 
order. It appeared that the Rebels had been driving 
them, and that they were withdrawing to uncover the in- 
fantry. Just as a squadron emerged from the woods op- 
posite our regiment, one of the cavalrymen exclaimed: 
"Here come the Doe boys !" and then he gave us the fur- 
ther encouragement of assuring us that the Johnnys had 
up the black flag. 

(584) Every soldier who served any considerable time 
in the late war will bear out the assertion that in no kind 
of civil life during- the same length of time could a man 



210 



WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY 

hear a tithe of the rumors, startling in purport, that he 
could hear during; the war So the boys had heard too 
many rumors to be frightened by this story of the black 
flag. In a few minutes our regiment was halted, the ranks 
closed up and formed into line upon the road. This road, 
it is believed, led north, so as to intersect the road the 
Rebels were on. a short distance west of Appomattox 
Court-house. Our part of the line did not extend as far 
as the intersection of the roads, but doubtless the two divi- 
sions extended beyond it, so as to completely cut off the 
retreat of the enemy. We moved in line toward the enemy 
and at nearly right angle to the road, through some woods 
in such a menner as to place our regiment in the west line 
of the closing in lines. Our two divisions from the Army 
of the James and Sheridan's cavalry were now barring 
the Rebel retreat. We advanced rather cautiously, mov- 
ing up a little then, then halting, perhaps waiting on the 
disposition of other troops. It was not long till shells be- 
gan to crash through the tree tops above us, from the ene- 
my's batteries. They did no harm to us, however. 

(585) We now halted and remained in line for per- 
haps two hours, expecting to have a battle that day. The 
boys of the Twelfth seemed confident. There was no dis- 
position shown by any to flinch. They no doubt were 
cheered by the thought that for once, since joining Grant's 
army, they were about to get a whack at the Rebs without 
having to fight them behind breast works : when about 9 
o'clock a. m., the order came very unexpectedly and to our 
great gratification and relief, to cease firing until further 
orders. We did not then know that a flag of truce had 
been sent by Gen. Lee: but the boys generally seemed, in 
the phrase of the present time, to "catch on" to the fact 
that this probably meant the surrender of Lee's army, the 
main-stay of the Rebellion ; and their countenances ac- 
cordingly lighted up with the thought of the pleasing pros- 
pect of this glorious consummation, which all felt was 
devoutly to be wished for, and which had been hoped, 

:2\1 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

prayed and fought for through four long years of blood 
and tears, and tears and blood. 

(58G) Soldiers hardly ever have knowledge before 
hand of any great military movement in which they are 
to engage. Sometimes they are precipitated into a haz- 
ardous undertaking without a minute's notice. They are 
even sometimes engaged in important movements with- 
out knowing definitely what they are doing. A soldier, 
who was in McClellan's army in its retreat from the 
Chickahominy to the James, once related that he thought 
that all the time they were fighting and marching they 
were going toward Richmond instead of retreating. But, 
as to the matter of the early knowledge of what was about 
to be done, for once, that 9th of April, the soldiers got 
ahead of the Commander of the United States Army, for 
they had at about 9 o'clock a. m. that eventful day a pretty 
strong intimation of what was about to take place; while 
Lee's dispatch to Grant agreeing to surrender on Grant's 
terms did not reach him until half past eleven o'clock a. 
m., the latter being considerably in the rear of his forces, 
passing from the right to the left to communicate with 
Sheridan. He could not be found till then, and conse- 
quently did not know sooner of Lee's acceptance of his 
terms. 

(587) Perhaps it was shortly after 12 m. that our line 
moved up toward the Rebel camp into open ground, and 
soon their camp some half mile distant appeared in view. 
Not long after this a great volume of cheers was heard 
rolling round the lines from right to left. This we soon 
learned was caused by the announcement of the surrender. 
The cheering was not precisely continuous, but was rathr 
somewhat intermittent. It would break out in great roars, 
then subside, then in a few minutes break out again, all 
the time coming nearer as the news was carried from or- 
ganization to organization. Pretty soon our commander, 
Col. Curtis, rode in front of the regiment and repeated 
the gladsome news of the surrender, saying that the war 

212 



WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY 

was virtually over ; that we would soon be mustered out. 
and sent home ; that we would get home in time for har- 
vest. The boys, inspired by the thought of final victory, 
that the "cruel war" was over, and especially by the 
thought of home, gave three such rousing heart-felt 
cheers as doubtless never escaped their lips before. 

(588) Such vigorous, frantic and deep-down-from- 
the-heart cheering was perhaps never before heard on this 
continent as was heard that day; and the boys need not 
ever expect to hear the like again. Men acted with the 
delirium of joy, climbing trees, throwing their hats in the 
air, jumping on them and doing all sorts of frantic things. 
They forgot all about the long and weary marches they 
had made ; their suffering from sickness, hunger and cold ; 
the dangers, battles and scenes of carnage they had passed 
through. All thoughts of these things were swept away 
by the great flood of joy that overwhelmed them, because 
of the glorious victory of the hosts of Union and Liberty 
over the hosts of Treason. 

(589) And now a remarkable feature of this almost 
closing scene in the great drama of the Civil War should 
not fail of receiving notice, especially as it has not hitherto 
been alluded to, so far as has been observed, in any other 
published account of the surrender. About a half hour 
after the cheering had ceased on the part of the Union 
soldiers, there was almost as vigorous cheering in the 
Rebel camp. This conduct of the enemy had something 
of the appearance of rejoicing over their own defeat. 
However, though no explanation is remembered as ever 
having been given for this demonstration, the reasonable 
inference is that they were cheering because they had 
heard the news that they were to be paroled upon the field 
and sent home, instead of being sent to prison. Like the 
Union soldiers they were delighted with the prospect that 
they should soon "breathe the air again of our (their) 
own beloved home." Be this as it may, this cheering of 
Lee's defeated veterans was a most extraordinary occur- 



21-°, 



HISTORY OK THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

rence. And it is doubtful if a parallel to it can be found 
anywhere in all previous history. This was a scene the 
like of which could occur nowhere else, perhaps, on the 
earth at this time than in this free, enlightened and 
humane land of ours. 

(590) Some mention here of Lieut. H. R. McCord 
will perhaps be not without interest. He was mustered in 
as first sergt. of Company G. During the war he re- 
ceived promotions up to first lieutenant, and when Col. 
Curtis was put in command of a brigade, McCord was 
appointed adjutant general on the colonel's staff. The 
lieutenant had relations living all during the war within 
the Rebel lines, and he would hear, through letters from 
them occasionally. He came to believe and so expressed 
himself during the last year of the war, that the Rebels 
would never be conquered. Doubtless the die-in-the-last- 
ditch spirit breathed in those letters was responsible for 
that belief. He never gave up that idea until the morn- 
ing of Lee's surrender. This want of faith in final suc- 
cess, however, in nowise interfered with his faithfulness 
and efficiency as a soldier, for he was ever ready to do his 
whole duty bravely and well. The cloud of despair that 
had hung over him was all swept away that memorable 
morning, as a fog before the breeze. And perhaps there 
was not a gladder man, nor one that rejoiced more heart- 
ily that day in the entire army than he, over the glorious 
victory and the downfall of the Rebellion. 

(591) Two divisions of the Twenty- fourth Corps and 
some other troops remained on the field of surrender 
while the Rebels were in course of being paroled. At 
first for about one day our guards kept the soldiers of the 
two armies apart and from mingling with each other. 
After that there was no restraint put upon them, and the 
late deadly enemies met and chatted in a quite amicable 
and seemingly friendly way, just as if they had never 
been at war with each other. The Johnnys were dis- 
posed to contend that if the number of their men and 



214 



WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY 

their means had been equal to those of Uncle Sam, they 
could not have been conquered. But they said nothing 
at that time about one Southern man being able to whip 
five Yankees. 

(592) There was considerable trading going on be- 
tween the soldiers of the two armies. The boys on either 
side were disposed to trade almost anything they had. 
The Johnnys would sell their Confederate money for 
about anything they could get for it, and they would go 
to our sutlers and spend any "green-back" or postal-scrip 
money thus obtained for tobacco, being anxious to get, as 
they said, some "Yankee tobacco." They quite generally 
expressed a willingness to give up the struggle; to have 
the war end immediately, and to submit to the authority 
of the United States. 

(593) The world has heard much of the hero of Ap- 
pomattox and the famous apple tree. Gen. Grant rather 
spoils that story of Lee's surrendering to him under the 
apple tree, by saying in his memoirs that it had very 
small basis of fact, viz., that Gen. Lee had met Grant's 
staff officer, Gen. Babcock, under an apple tree which 
stood near a road running up through an orchard, which 
was near the Rebel camp. After all, though this story 
has a pretty good basis of fact, many a good tale has less. 
At all events it was quite generally believed by the Union 
troops, and there was accordingly a scramble among 
them for fragments of the tree. Many of the Twelfth 
managed to get pieces of it, for when it came to "con- 
fiscating" things and appropriating them to private use 
this regiment was never far behind. 

(594) As anything relating to that historic field and 
that memorable day is of interest, the following as re- 
lated by a soldier of the Twelfth is given : 

(595) On the day of the surrender or perhaps the next 
day, I was strolling about the field and chanced to ap- 
proach near to where a colonel of our army and a citizen 
were in conversation. This citizen, it seemed, was no 



215 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

other than McLean, at whose house Gen. Grant drew up 
the terms of the surrender of Lee's army. Just as I 
came up McLean was saying, "I own the ground where 
the first battle of the war was fought, Bull Run, and I 
own the ground where the last battle of the war was 
fought, at this place." This remark arrested my atten- 
tion. I knew that it was generally regarded among the 
Union troops that Lee's surrender was the virtual col- 
lapse of the Rebellion, but I was interested in having a 
confirmation of this opinion from a Rebel himself, being 
like the rest of the boys anxious to have the cruel war 
over; so I could not refrain from saying: "And so you 
regard the war as. being over?" addressing my remark 
ot the citizen. "Yes," said McLean. The colonel an- 
swered also, saying, "And one of the greatest generals 
of the world, General Lee, so regards it." I felt a vaguely 
defined sense of displeasure at and disapproval of this re- 
mark of the colonel, but said nothing. 

(596) Perhaps if this soldier had looked into his mind 
for the motive of this feeling, he would have found it in 
the fact that it was hardly consistent with loyalty to his 
country, its cause and his comrades to be praising this 
Rebel general whose hands were red with his comrades' 
blood, who had been fighting against the only free gov- 
ernment at that time worthy of the name on the face of 
the earth, endeavoring to set up a government founded 
on the barbarism of human slavery ; and whose so-called 
government had so cruelly treated his comrades at An- 
dersonville and other prisons. 

(597) The officers of the Army of the Potomac seem 
to have had a very high opinion of the military ability of 
Gen. Lee. Gen. Grant says in his Memoirs that it was 
no uncommon thing for his staff officers to hear from 
Eastern officers: "Well, Grant has never met Bobby Lee 
yet," implying that when Grant should meet him he would 
meet a greater military antagonist than he had previously 
met and perhaps an over-match. Events — the hard tug of 

216 



WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY 

war for about a year, however, proved that "Old United 
States Grant" was too much for "Bobby Lee." 

(598) Impartial history will, no doubt, record with 
substantially one voice that the blacks were innocently the 
cause of the war. Anything therefore relating to the 
"contrabands" in connection with the war will not be im- 
pertinent, so an incident in regard to one of them is here 
given. One day during the several days we were camped 
at Appomattox a colored man came into the camp of the 
Twelfth. On being engaged in conversation and asked 
if he knew that his people were now all free, and told that 
President Lincoln had two years before the then last New 
Years' declared all the slaves in the land forever free, and 
being told that he was now, since the Rebels were whipped, 
as free as any man, he seemed almost struck dumb with 
amazement, managing, however, to utter some devout 
ejaculations. He appeared to be though more incredulous 
if possible, than amazed. 

(599) It may seem to be almost incredible that this 
black man living not more than 80 miles from our lines, 
for the then past year, should be ignorant of the Procla- 
mation of Emancipation, at a time more than two years 
after it had been issued, especially as news is said to have 
generally traveled fast among the slave population. He, 
however, did not know of the granting of this great and 
long prayed for boon to his race by "Massa Linkum." or 
else he was a very skillful adept in assuming ignorance. 
It may be remarked here that in whatever degree the 
slaves may have been ignorant of the existence of the 
Proclamation, they seemed to know by intuition or other-; 
wise that their interests lay with the success of the Union 
cause. 

( 600) Within three or four days after the surrender 
Lee's army was all paroled and sent home. April 12th 
the Second Division (ours) marched for Lynchburg, ar- 
riving there on the 14th, and destroyed much war mate- 
rial at that place. The Second Brigade entered the town 

217 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

in advance, and as our men marched along the streets the 
blacks in great numbers, many of them sent from various 
place — some from North Carolina — for safe keeping, 
thronged the streets. They were wild with joy. They 
threw their arms around each other, shouting "Glory to 
God ! the Yanks am come and we're all free." 

(601) The 16th the command started back from 
Lynchburg and scarcely, if at all, halting at Appomattox, 
pushed on toward Richmond. Our division halted a few 
days at Burkesville, during which time the Twelfth was 
paid to the first of the past January. We then marched 
on to Richmond, arriving there the 24th. Our brigade 
was camped near the city. We remained here nearly two 
months and during this time, the 16th of June, the Twelfth 
was mustered out. And it was while we were here that 
one pleasant June afternoon we were marched to a point 
nearer the city than our camp, and just as the shades of 
night were beginning to spread over the landscape, the 
boys of the Twelfth who had won medals at Fort Gregg 
were presented them, receiving them as before, written 
from the hand of Gen. John Gibbon's daughter. This was 
a proud day for those boys. 

(602) On the 20th of June, the Twelfth took trans- 
ports for home. They landed us at Baltimore. We took 
cars there for Wheeling, arriving there the 24th. In a 
few days the men were paid off and, receiving their dis- 
charges, were soon on their way to their several homes 
to enjoy the peace they had to fight for; and yet as long 
as they should live, from time to time, fight battles over 
again. It should be said, however, that before leaving 
for their homes the boys were given a grand dinner by 
the generous citizens of Wheeling. 

(603) Col. Curtis died August 25th, 1891. There 
was always a high respect and filial regard entertained on 
the part of the members of the regiment for their late 
commander; and the survivors will be gratified to have 

218 



WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY 

here recorded Col. Caldwell's memorial address, before 
referred to, upon his life and character. 

COLONEL CALDWELL'S ADDRESS. 

(604) Comrades and Friends :— General Curtis is 
gone. He was a grandson of John Curtis, a patriot sol- 
dier of 1776. 

( 605) General Curtis was born April 18, 1821, on now 
historic ground where the great battle of Antietam was 
afterwards fought. 

(606) In 1832 his parents removed to the town of 
West Liberty, in Ohio county, where on becoming of age 
he engaged and continued in business as a merchant until 
he became a soldier in 1862. In 1861 he was a member 
of the State convention at Wheeling, which organized a 
loyal State government for Virginia. 

(607) In 1776 one of the members of the Continental 
Congress advocated unanimity in supporting the immortal 
declaration of our country's independence by reminding 
his fellow-congressmen that "they must all hang together, 
or they would all hang separately." In that Wheeling 
convention every man had to face the same situation. 
Each one who cast his lot and his vote there on the Union 
side risked his life, his fortune and his sacred honor on 
what was then a doubtful result, and against the vast 
majority of the people of his State, against the seductions 
of State sovereignty, and often against the strongest in- 
fluence of family ties. General Curtis had a brother who 
was colonel of ' the Twenty-third Virginia Confederate 
Regiment and was killed at the battle of Slaughter 

Mountain. 

( cos) If the South succeeded, death or exile, confisca- 
tion of property and business and social proscription were 
sure to each member of that convention. It was a con- 
vention of Southerners true to the old flag without an 
appropriation. From its results was born West Virginia, 

219 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

fair and patriotic, devoted and loyal, in the sisterhood 
of States. 

(609) It is one of the proud memories that we cherish 
of our comrade that he served not falteringly among 
those true and devoted men. In 1861 he raised and ten- 
dered to the old war governor, Francis H. Pierpont, a 
company of volunteers. Again in 1862 he enlisted a com- 
pany which became Company D of the Twelfth West 
Virginia Infantry. He was elected captain. 

(610) In 1863 the nine captains of the regiment, 
other than himself, and the other commissioned officers, 
elected him major. As such he commanded the regiment 
until January, 1864, when his worth was again recognized 
by his election by his fellow-officers of the regiment as 
colonel, and their choice was ratified by Governor Bore- 
man. Holding that distinguished rank, he commanded 
generally a brigade, soemtimes his regiment, until the 
close of the war. 

(611) Even while thus serving he suffered from dis- 
ease, but was a soldier who never lost a day's duty in 
those trying years, or answered a surgeon's roll call. 
Whoever else was absent, he was always "present for 
duty." 

(612) At New Market, Piedmont, Lynchburg, at 
Snicker's Ford, Kearnstown, Winchester, Fisher's Hill, 
and above all at Fort Gregg, he was the leader not only 
in rank of his brigade, but in fact. He served under the 
quick, brilliant and glorious Phil. Sheridan, the Stone- 
wall Jackson of our side, throughout the great campaign 
of 1864 in Shenandoah Valley. 

(613) At Snicker's Ford on the banks of the beautiful 
Shenandoah, we were all ranged along the shore of the 
river behind a low fence of stone surmounted by rails. 
The Confederates had lately had a blockade runner get 
through, and wore light blue trousers and jackets, once 
gray, which time and service had rendered of no particular 
color. Their skirmishers approached us, walking back- 

220 



WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY 

wards and turning to fire. Our boys, when they got near, 
wanted to fire on them, but Colonel Curtis forbade it, say- 
ing : "Those are our men." 

(614) Directly one of them turned and took deliberate 
aim at the colonel, who was standing by a rail upright by 
his side, and blazed away. Tung! went the oak rail as 
it was struck by the ball close to his head. It was the only 
time I ever knew the colonel to forget his tactics. "Shoot 
them, boys, shoot them now!" he said with energy. It 
was not the regulation command, but it was appropriate 
and efficient. 

(615) The foremost of all who served, General Grant, 
in his Personal Memoirs, calls the assault by Curtis's 
Brigade on Fort Gregg in front of Petersburg, Va., "des- 
perate." In this assault there were 715 men and officers 
killed and wounded on Sunday, April 2, 1865, yet Col. 
Curtis captured the fort. His own regiment had three 
color bearers killed in planting their flag on the ramparts. 

(616) After he had ordered the charge General Foster 
regarding it as impossible of success, ordered that it 
should be abandoned after the troops had got near the 
fort. But American soldiers are men of intelligence. With 
one mind they thought that they were more certain to be 
shot down if they turned their backs, than if they went on. 
They rushed forward through chevaux de fris and ditch 
and threw themselves on their faces against the sandy 
front of the ramparts. General Foster exclaimed when 
they refused to about face : "Well, go on. You'll all be 
killed anyhow." A two hours' hand to hand contest over 
the walls of the fort resulted in its capture. 

(617) General Gibbons called it "if not the most des- 
perate, one of the most desperate assaults of the whole 
war." A few days afterward at a grand review at Rich- 
mond, one officer and two privates of the regiment were 
called to step four paces in front of the line of battle. A 
general order was then read, naming them for conspicu- 
ous personal gallantry in the assault, and soon afterwards 

221 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

bronze medals were presented to them by our National 
Congress. One of these three was that brave and fearless 
soldier, Lieut. Mont. Curtis, now deceased, a son of Gen. 
Curtis. 

(618) For the part he took the eagles upon Colonel 
Curtis's shoulders wtre replaced by the general's stars by 
the President of the United States. The official record 
in the War Department of the promotion reads : "For gal- 
lant service in the capture of Fort Gregg, Virginia." The 
regiment was presented with a bronze eagle for its con- 
duct. It bears the inscription : 

(619) "Presented to the Twelfth Regiment, West 
Virginia Volunteer Infantry, by their corps commander, 
General John Gibbon, for gallant conduct in the assault 
upon Fort Gregg, near Petersburg, Va., April 2, 1865." 

(620) Richmond was immediately evacuated when 
this fort surrendered. General Curtis was afterward 
elected a member of the Legislature, and rendered impor- 
tant civil srvices to the State, and has continually held 
positions of honor and importance bestowed by his com- 
rades in the G. A. R. 

(621) Owing to declining health he had for some 
years lived in retirement before his death on the 25th of 
last August at his home in West Liberty, at which time 
he was one of our vice presidents. Our deceased comrade 
was a modest man, but we have no reason to be modest 
in speaking of him. 

(622) It was the fortune of your speaker to sleep in 
the same blankets with General Curtis for two years and 
a half during his service, being his adjutant, and he was 
the most indulgent, considerate and generous of men, 
manly and Christian in all his character. He had the 
rare faculty of attaching those he led to himself in un- 
wavering confidence, and that enthusiastic, affectionate 
personal regard without which no military captain of any 
degree can be a success. 

(623) Like the Old Commander who received the 

222 



WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY 

sword of Lee at Appomattox, he was level-headed, and 
never lost his head in the hour of danger ; had full posses- 
sion of his faculties and capabilities in the hour of battle, 
as well as on dress parade. 

(624) In time of peace he was a man of peace. When 
war came he became a soldier. When peace returned 
again, he returned to the paths of peace. He was a splen- 
did type of the citizen-soldier. At the end of his "three 
score years and ten" he leaves a memory which will be 
revered, honored and cherished by his comrades, and 
perpetuated in the history of a grateful country. 



CONCLUSION. 

A few words in conclusion are ventured. From a mili- 
tary point of view it would appear that one of the lessons 
of the war, if not the most important one, teaches that 
we should not over-estimate our own valor, strength and 
resources, or under-estimate those of the enemy. Ac- 
cordingly, when it becomes necessary to go to war, mak- 
ing full allowance for any possible inadequacy of estimate 
in these regards, we should strike with ample and over- 
whelming force. The force should be double or triple 
that which would seem to be enough, rather than of doubt- 
ful sufficiency. In fact, where there is uncertainty as to 
the possible magnitude of a war. it is best to be on the cer- 
tain side, and to strike the first blow with utmost 
strength, rather than feebly — with the big end of the 
bludgeon of war, rather than with the little end : and not 
do as was done by the government in the late war, begin 
it with an inadquate force. The example of the Prussians 
in the Franco-Prussian War teaches a lesson in warfare. 
They struck in the beginning with overwhelming force, 
and made short work of the war. 

Perhaps the most striking fact in connection with the 

223 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

conduct of our late war was the lack of appreciation of 
this guiding principle of precaution, or the disregard of 
it on each side of the contending powers. There are many 
examples illustrating this fact. The failure of the gov- 
ernment to fully measure the task of the suppression of 
the Rebellion prolonged the war through four years, seri- 
ously jeopardized the result, and caused the sacrifice of 
a million of men, and the expenditure of many millions 
of money to finally suppress it, which otherwise might 
have been accomplished with one-tenth of the cost of men 
and money. Twenty thousand more men on the Union 
side at Bull Run, for instance, which additional number 
could easily have been had, would probably have gained 
the day there, and put an end to the war. 

On the other hand, if the Rebels had not under-esti- 
mated the valor of their foes, thinking that one of them 
could whip five Yankees, and had they made their supreme 
effort at an earlier stage of the war instead of at the last 
of it, when they were "robbing the cradle and the grave" 
to recruit their armies — if for instance they had had at 
Antietam 110,000 men instead of 60,000 or 70,000, over 
which McClellan failed to gain a decisive victory, which 
larger number they could have had as easily as they could 
bring on the field of Gettysburg 100,000 men almost a 
year later, after meeting heavy losses at Chancellorsville 
and on other fields, it is no violent presumption to say that 
they might have won the day and gained their independ- 
ence. 

However, regarding the war from a moral and political 
standpoint, it sometimes seems as if the war did not last 
long enough. It took years of the terrible scourge of 
war, it would appear, to convince the people of the seceded 
states, and to wring from them the acknowledgement that 
they were better off without slavery than with it. And 
perhaps if the war had lasted a little longer, and the 
Rebels had felt still further the scourge of war, those who 
now have so much respectful regard for the flag of trea- 

224 



WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY 

son, and the Lost Cause and their defenders, might have 
finally become convinced that one flag and one cause and 
its defenders are enough to honor ; and that there should 
be no place in the patriotic regard and affection of the peo- 
ple in this free land of ours for the Rebel flag, the Lost 
Cause or their defenders. Big as this country is it ought 
to be too little to give room for any display of honor to 
the Rebel flag, the Lost Cause, or their champions, dead 
or alive. Therefore, no soldier who would be faithful to 
his country and the cause for which he fought should join 
in any ceremony of decorating Rebel graves, of holding 
reunions with Rebels, or of putting up monuments to 
them. 

A few years since Gen. Sherman, at a Soldiers' reunion, 
said that it was commendable to decorate Union soldiers' 
graves, to encourage reunions and to put up soldiers' 
monuments, as to do these things was to create and nur- 
ture a patriotic sentiment. Granting the truth of this, it 
follows then as the night follows the day that to take part 
in these or similar ceremones, when done in honor of or 
with Rebels distinctively as such, in contradistinction to 
being Union soldiers or citizens, is to engender and to 
nurture disloyalty. No Union soldier should do it. The 
reason given by those of them who do so, is that they 
wish to remove the animosities of the war, and to culti- 
vate a fraternal feeling between the sections. The motive 
is good, but is it not paying too dearly for kindly feeling 
and fraternal regard when they are obtained at the cost 
of the inculcation of disloyalty? 

The people of the late seceded States claim to be now 
as loyal as those of the rest of the Union ; but while there 
is a growing improvment in respect to the loyalty of the 
former, there is too much of the old disloyal spirit among 
them yet. Many instances might be given ; but only that 
of the utterance of the following sentiment by Gen. Early 
at the unveiling of the monument erected in 1891 to the 
memory of "Stonewall" Jackson, and the manner in which 



225 



HISTORY OF THE TWELFTH REGIMENT 

it was received, is given : "If I am ever known to repu- 
diate the cause for which Lee fought and Jackson died," 
said Early, "may the lightning of heaven blast me, and 
the scorn of all brave men and good women be my por- 
tion." According to the Charlottesville, {Va.) Chronicle, 
from which the above quotation is taken, this sentiment 
was cheered by twenty thousand throats. The fair infer- 
ence is that Gen. Early and those cheering his sentiment 
are as much Rebels as they ever were. 

The same newspaper above named says that there were 
ten thousand Union soldiers present at the unveiling of 
this monument. While the loyal sentiment of the land 
thus suffers the inculcation of treason, and itself to be in- 
sulted by demonstrations like that of the unveiling of the 
monument referred to, and others of similar character in 
honor of late Rebels or the cause for which they fought, 
by those who lately bore arms against the government — 
there is no obligation of good feeling or of fraternity that 
demands of Union soldiers the countenancing and aiding 
of these traitor-breeding demonstrations, by their pres- 
ence at them. It is to be hoped that the country is to be 
spared the humiliating spectacle of many more such dis- 
gusting manifestations of falsity on the part of the Union 
soldiers to the cause for which they fought, as that it had 
to witness at the unveiling of the monument erected to 
the memory of "Stonewall" Jackson at Lexington, Va. 



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